


Oh My My My......

by WonderstruckSwan



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Slow Burn, Teen Pregnancy, i put a warning before the chapter, in chapter 6, like reaaaallllly slow, pregnancies, since sf is in it there is statuatory rape, some Swanfire but not a swanfire fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 08:20:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6697153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WonderstruckSwan/pseuds/WonderstruckSwan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma Swan and Killian Jones met in a playground, aged 7 and 9. As they grew up, they faced a million and one things. But they would always face them one way; together.</p><p>Inspired by Mary's Song by Taylor Swift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 7 and 9.

**Author's Note:**

> She said, I was seven and you were nine, I looked at you like the stars that shined in the sky, the pretty lights.......

It was late July and the sun lazily began sinking lower in the sky. The leaves were lit up, the sky a clear blue, a few clouds drifting overhead, the streets bathed in a golden glow.  
David walked along, his daughter Emma clinging to him like a little monkey. Her blonde hair was held off her face by pink hair pins, but otherwise it tumbled all around her shoulders. She skipped along as they walked, jumping over imaginery lines conjured up in her little head.

  
Once they reached the gates of the playground, he let her little hand go and she sped off to the climbing frame while he took a seat on the bench. She raced up the ladder, danced across the bridge in double quick time an dslid down the slide. She got up again, ready for another go, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye.  
Alone on the swingset, there was a little boy. His dark hair sheilded his face and his jeans were frayed at the bottom. He wasn't swinging, just kicking the ground in his own world.

  
Emma ran across the playground and jumped on the swing next to him, waiting for a reaction.

  
'Hi,' she greeted when he didn't look up.

  
'Hey,' he responded, his blue eyes glancing up at her. She kicked her legs and began to kick the swing into motion.

'What you doing?'

'Nothing.'

He began swinging with her.

'You looked lonely,' she remarked as she flew past him.

'I was.'

'Do you want to do nothing together?' The boy smiled.

'Sure. Why not?'

'I'm Emma, by the way. Emma Swan.' Her blonde hair flew behind her like a flag.

'I'm Killian Jones.'

After their swinging was complete, they raced each other back to the climbing frame, where Captain Killian Jones bravely fought the dragon-slaying princess Emma for the control of the Jolly Roger.

'So how old are you?' he asked as his sword narrowly missed her head.

'Seven,' she replied as she jumped up from the ground and pointed a gun at him. 'You?'

'Nine.' He jumped behind a canon for cover. 'So I'm older.'

'Yeah, but I'm faster.' She sprinted past him to the stern of the ship. 'The Jolly Roger is mine!'

'Oh, please, Princess, show mercy.' Killian dropped to his knees to beg her. 'Please, Princess.'

'As the new Princess Captain of this vessel, I declare that Captain Jones is my right hand man. He had to serve me always and forever, until the day I die. And even after that.'

'That's not fair!'

'Life's not fair, Jones. Do you dare disrespect the Captain Princess?'

'No, your majesty.' Emma laughed and was about to hoist the new flag when her father came on the scene.

'Come on, baby, we've got to go.'

'But Daddy, why?' Emma leaned over the railing, attempting to look him in the eye.

'Because Mom's got dinner ready and a guy's coming to fix the TV.' David glanced at Killian. 'So say goodbye to your buddy.'

'Bye Killian,' Emma said, turning to face him.

'Bye, Emma.'

'Are you coming back here?' she asked. 'Because we have to continue this.'

'I always come here,' he said. 'Everday.'

'Then I'll come back,' she said as she slid down the slide and was picked up by her father.

'How will you find me?' he asked. 'I'm not always at the swings.'

'I'll always find you,' she called over her father's shoulder.

                                                                                                                                                *****

Three days later, she returned once again, after begging her father to take her. Instead of holding his hand, she ran on ahead this time, straight into the playground. She felt a twinge of disappointment in her chest when she realised the place was deserted.

'You okay, baby?' David asked. 

'I thought Killian would be here,' she answered, half muttering to herself.

She played on her own, trying to distract herself but constantly checked for Killian.

'Emma, maybe he's just busy today,' David said, sitting on the swing beside her. 

'But he said he comes here every day,' she pointed out, jumping into his lap. He laughed and started swinging them together.

'Yeah, well, maybe he couldn't make it today, sweet pea.' As if by magic, Emma spotted a dark haired figure coming down the path. She couldn't make out much, but the fringe falling into his eyes was unmistakable.

'Killian!' She jumped off her father, who chuckled at his little princess, and ran after him, meeting him at the gate. 'You came!'

'Of course I came,' he replied, smiling. 'What, you missed me, Emma?'

'Yes. Now come on.' She grabbed his hand and dragged him along with her. 

They played together for a while, chasing one another up and down the length of the park, taking turns on swings and roundabouts, with David looking after them.

Another figure came running in. A boy with curly light brown hair and blue eyes, holding a soccer ball under his arm. He ran in, his eyes scanning the whole place until they landed on Killian and Emma on the slide. He ran over to them and Killian jumped down from the ladder.

'Kill, I asked you to stay there,' he sighed. Killian looked down at the ground. 

'Sorry Liam,' he mumbled. Liam sighed and shook his head, but clearly couldn't stay angry with him for long.

'Next time when I say stay put, stay put, OK?' Liam glanced at Emma and his cheeks went pink. 'Sorry, lass. Didn't mean to break up your fun.'

'Who's he?' Emma asked Killian.

'My big brother, Liam,' Killian answered. 'He went down to the shop. I was meant to wait.....'

'Which you didn't,' Liam sighed. Emma slid down and looked at the ground, occasionally glancing up at Killian. 'Just listen to me next time, okay, kid? Now go play with your friend.' 

And so it ended up that Liam, Killian and Emma played football in the field next to the park. Emma was quite swift as she ran around the grass, trying to keep control over the ball. She tried to get it back under her control when she slipped, giving Killian the opportunity to swoop in and steal it from her. He was about to run off with it when he saw her struggling to get up.

'Here.' He reached his hand down to her and she took it. 'You alright?'

'Yeah,' Emma answered as she got up. 'You won't be though.' Before Killian could ask what she meant, he was knocked to the ground and she was travelling down the field toward Liam's makeshift goal posts.

There was a lot that happened since that day. But there, in that one park in Maine, was where it all began.


	2. 8 and 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take me back to the house in the backyard tree.....

It was early August when David finished Emma's tree house. Nestled in the oak tree in the corner of the Swan's garden and with a pink roof and blue door-per her request, her house was truly charming.  
'Daddy I love it!' Emma squeaked when he brought her outside to see it. She scaled the rope ladder and hopped onto her little porch, giggling. Mary Margaret chuckled behind her father.  
'Dave, take Neal for a seond, will you?' she asked. David scooped Emma's gurgling brother into his arms with ease while his wife took out a digital camera. Emma posed to her heart's content; giving an over the shoulder pout, a curtsy, a Vogue and, for good measure, lay on he floor, propped up on her elbow.  
'Okay, enough modelling,' her mother laughed, showing the pictures to her father. Meanwhile, Emma ran inside to find her house furnished with a table, beanbags and even a bookshelf with some of her favourites-Peter Pan, Harry Potter and Narnia to name a few.  
'You like it?' David called from the outside. Emma stuck her head out the window to reply.  
'I love it!' she called. Then, she was struck by a brillliant idea. 'Can I show Killian?' Mary Margaret-who unlike her husband had never met her daughter's best friend of one year-looked unsure and David didn't appear to think this was the best idea.  
'Well, Emma, sweetie you don't know where he lives. Or his phone number.....'  
'He'll be at the park!' Emma stated, as if it was as simple as that. She jumped down from her treehouse and grabbed her father's hand. 'Please Daddy?'  
Mary Margaret and David shared a look and, knowing their stubborn little girl would never relent, David sighed.  
'All right, come on,' he agreed, taking her hand.  
*****  
'Good form, Killian,' Liam said as Killian kicked his ball, sending it soaring across the field. 'Keep it up and we may have an athlete on our hands.'  
Killain nodded, smiling as Liam ran after their ball. He and Liam had, once again, been shoved out of the house and told to "amuse themselves" at the park, like they always had.  
Liam jogged back up to him, bouncing the ball off his fist.  
'What's up glum chum?' he asked, seeing his brother's face.  
'Nothing,' Killian lied. Liam knew him better than that.  
'Missing Emma?' he teased.  
'No.'  
'Well, it's been a week since you last saw her,' he went on. 'I mean a whole week without Emma-'  
'Shut up!' Killian dived at Liam, who laughed.  
'Oh there he is, Killian Jones, the wonderboy, look at that strength.' Killian was laughing as he attempted to pin Liam to the ground. 'Oh no, Killian, look.'  
'What?' he grunted, still putting all his effort into shoving Liam down.  
'It's your favourite person.'  
'What favourite person?'  
'Emma.' Killian jumped off Liam and turned to see a bundle of blonde hair coming his way. He met her half way, smiling wider than he had in that week.  
'Killian, guess what?' she asked.  
'What is it?' he answered. 'No, don't tell me, its raining Pop Tarts.'  
'No,' she laughed. 'Daddy finished my tree house!' All summer Emma had been bragging to Killian, and to her other friends, about how her dad was building her the biggest and best tree house.  
'That's amazing, Emma!'  
'So do you want to come back to my house and see it?' she asked.  
'What, really?'  
'Yeah. I mean if it's okay with your parents, we can go now.'  
Killian looked back at Liam, who jogged up behind them.  
'Hey squirt,' he greeted Emma,, to which she stuck her tongue out in reply.  
'Liam, Emma asked if I could come to her house,' Killian asked in a low voice.  
'Yeah, I got this new tree house and I really want him to see it.'  
'Um, if Emma's dad is okay with it.....' Liam looked at David.  
'Of course, but shouldn't you ask your parents, Liam?'  
Liam looked from Killian to David.  
'Um, no it's fine. What time should I collect him?'  
Emma and Killian happily chatted away together while David and Liam talked.  
'Uh, why not around six?'  
'Where do you live?'  
'38 Misthaven Avenue. Know where that is?'  
'Yeah, just off the corner off Main Street. It's opposite the park.'  
Once it was settled, Liam knelt down to look Killian in the eye.  
'Best behaviour, little brother,' he warned. 'Okay?'  
'Okay.'  
*****  
'So that's the famous Killian?' Mary Margaret asked as she watched her daughter and her friend playing in their garden.  
'Yep,' David confirmed, checking the dates on frozen pizzas.  
'And they just met in a park?' She turned to face her husband.  
'Yeah. Best friends ever since.'  
'Where does he live?'  
'Don't know.'  
'What do we know about him, then?' she asked. David frowned.  
'Mary Margaret, the kid's ten! What's he going to do?'  
'Fine. Maybe I'm overreacting. Just all her other friends, we've met their parents. She's known him for a year and we've never met his family.'  
'Not true. I've met his brother,' David told her. He sighed before continuing. 'And I think that the brother may be all he has.'  
'Really?'  
'I asked about parents and he just avoided the topic.'  
'How old's the brother?'  
'Thirteen.'  
Mary Margaret looked out the window again. Emma and Killian were engaged in a fierce pretend sword fight, a smile lighting up her baby's face.  
*****  
After exhausting themselves, Emma and Killain sat on the porch of the tree house, legs dangling over so that pink sneakers bumped against black ones. They were leaning back on their elbows, watching the sky turn pink.  
'We're going to have to go back to school soon,' Killian observed.  
'We've got a month,' she reminded him.  
'Not that long, really.'  
'You're such a pessimist.' However, with Emma's lisp it came out as "pethimist".  
'I'm a what?'  
'Pessimist?'  
'What?' Emma realised, from the grin on her friend's face, that he was making fun of her and raised her eyebrows at him. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while.  
'Your mum seems pretty cool,' he remarked, watching Mary Margaret through the window.  
'She is.' Emma worked up the courage to ask a burning question. 'What about your mommy? What's she like?'  
'She's dead. She's in Heaven now.' Killian tilted his chin up, as if his deceased mother was about to come down right then.  
'I'm sorry.'  
'It's okay. I was a baby. I can't even remember her.'  
'What about your dad? Does he look after you?' Killian looked over at Emma, the sun bringing out golden flecks in her eyes, and decided to trust her with his deepest secret.  
'He's in prison.' The confession landed with a thud on Emma's chest.  
'Oh Killian I-'  
'It's okay, really.' He sat up, cross legged, and continued. 'He did some bad stuff when I was really little, like 4. So he got sent to prison.'  
'What'd he do?' Emma mirrored his position.  
'He stole some stuff.' A look of horror crossed Emma's face.  
'I stole once,' she whispered, shifting closer. ' I stole a candy bar when I was 3. Do you think I'll end up going to prison?'  
'No. My dad stole way bigger stuff than that.' Emma's eyes widened with shock and fascination.  
'Like what?'  
'I don't know. They won't tell me or Liam.' He grabbed Emma's hand. 'You won't tell, will you?'  
'Course not.' She wrinkled her nose, as if the very idea of betraying Killian offended her. He smiled gratefully at her.  
'So when he got sent to prison, me and Liam ended up living with our Unce Silver.'  
'Oh.' Emma wasn't sure what else to say.  
'Hey, Em?'  
'Yeah?'  
'If I'm wrong and people do try to take you to prison over the candy bar you stole when you were 3. I won't let them.' Emma grinned and pulled Killian into a tight hug, leaning her cheek on his shoulder.  
'Hey, Kill?'  
'Yeah?'  
'I'd do the same for you.' He laughed, but their sweet moment was quickly interrupted by David calling them in for dinner.  
'Oh,' he said as they raced to the back door. 'I didn't interrupt anything did I?'  
'Daddy!' Emma rolled her eyes and the two of them jumped onto their chairs as Mary Margaret pulled pizzas out of the oven.


	3. 10 and 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a bit long (sorry) and more Killian/Jones-bro based. Really wanted to get this one out today.

Emma was kneeling up on a kitchen chair, facing her little brother, who was sitting in his car seat. Every time he made any sort of noise, she's mimic as best she can. He gurgled, she gurgled. He cooed, she cooed. He yelped, she yelped. Meanwhile, her parents, with the generous help of Killian who she had roped into this, were dragging suitcases downstairs.

'Emma, I thought you were getting your bag ready,' Mary Margaret sighed as she dragged her suitcase downstairs.

'I'm down here because my jacket is down here,' she explained, picking her denim jacket off the back of a chair.

'And did it take you ten minutes to find it?' Emma rolled her eyes and ran up to her bedroom, pulling one more face at Neal. In her room, Killian was sitting on her bed, sorting clothes into piles.

'Just shove it all in, Kill,' she shrugged, throwing her jacket in.

'And when you can't find your dress, who'll be crying then?' he asked. Emma dumped his T-shirt pile in, followed by her cowgirl boots.

'Do you know what the weather's like in New York?' she asked, her hand hovering over a pair of shorts.

'Nope,' Killian answered. 'Uh, Law and Order's set in New York and sometimes it's sunny.'

'Mom watches that,' Emma remarked as she threw the shorts in.

'Is it bad that I wish you weren't going?'

'I wish you were coming,' she confessed. 'I'll be stuck with Neal for a week!'

'But you'll get to see the Empire State Building! And the Statue of Liberty! And have hot dogs!'

'I'll bring you back a hot dog, I promise,' Emma giggled. 'And you'll have Liam.'

'Not with his summer job I won't.' At the start of that summer, Liam had started working in a corner shop to earn a bit. Despite being 15, the shop was owned by a friend of

Silver's, so he didn't care about his age and customers didn't ask.

'Well he'll be loaded,' Emma said. 'So by the end of the summer, he'll be rich enough to fly us to New York.' Killian laughed, but then Emma placed her hand on his shoulder, her expression serious.

'I'll miss you, Killian.'

'I know,' he teased.

*****

After Emma left for New York, Killian found himself moping around his house most days. Liam played with him until he had to go to work, leaving Killian alone with Silver.

'What are you up to?' Silver asked when he saw Killian watching TV with very little interest.

'Watching TV.'

'Missing your friend?' There was no kindness or concern in his voice, only mocking and amusement. Killian rolled his eyes.

'Yeah.'

'Well, your brother's still working Jones.'

'I know.'

'Why don't you go outside and play?' Silver opened the front door, showing it was more of a demand than a question. 'It's not good for kids to be sitting around inside all day.'

 _Not good for kids to stay inside under your feet_ was what Killian heard but he kept quiet.

Killain wandered out in his street, not going in any particular direction. He would've gone to the park except it would have been lonely without Liam or Emma there. He pondered on calling for any of his and Emma's other friends-Ruby, Anna, Elsa or Belle- but he always hung out with them when he was with Emma and didn't know about hanging out with them on his own. He walked down a bit more until he came to a contruction site, where they were building some new house.

He decided to walk around the construction site, the workers too abosorbed in their tasks to notice a twelve year old dancing around them. That is, until one of them did.

'Hey, kid!' he roared. 'What the hell?' The man took Killian by surprise, causing him to trip and land on his side. He wasn't hurt much, just a bit scraped, but then a wheelbarrow of bricks toppled and fell right onto his left hand.

That was when the screaming started. The workmen rushed over to his side as Killian gasped for air, tears running down his face.

'What the hell is the meaning of this?' an older man asked.

'He just came in, boss and he fell and-'

'Oh god, is he okay?' a woman was at Killian side in seconds, drying his tears and trying to calm him. 'Rumple, call an ambulance.'

'What-'

'Now, Rumple! The poor kid needs it.' She turned back from her husband to Killian. 'You're going to be okay, kid. What's your name.'

'K-K-Killian.'

'Okay, Killian. Why don't we call your parents?' Killian shook his head.

'My brother, but he's working.'

'Does he have a mobile number?'

'Yeah, it's......' Killian gave the woman Liam's mobile number and then the ambulance came. They loaded a still-crying Killian inside but she insisted on going with him until she knew he'd be alright.

*****

'Jones!' Liam's boss called as he was stacking shelves of Insta-Noodle. He looked up and saw his boss, leaning against the shelf, a bored expression on his face. 'Phone call for you.'

  
Liam finished up and ran into the staff room, where he saw his phone on the table with 'one missed call' from a number he'd never seen. He picked it up warily and dailed back.

  
'Liam Jones?' a woman asked once she picked up.

  
'Yes. Who is this?'

  
'My name's Milah. This is about your brother, Killian. He was in an accident.' An accident. Liam's heart lept into overdrive, the word accident pounding around in his head. Images of his brother lying underneath a car flashed up in his mind.

  
'An accident?' he asked as he tried to keep his voice steady.

  
'Yes. He's all right. Well, I say all right. He's alive and I asked about his family and he only mentioned you. He's at the General Hospital. How soon can you get down here?'  
'Soon. Tell him I'm on my way.' Liam ran out back into the shop and nearly collided with his boss.

  
'Sir, there's a family emergency. I need to leave now.' The boss raised an eyebrow.

  
'Jones, if you leave, this will be coming out of your wages.'

  
'Fine by me.' With that, Liam dodged around his boss, who was stammering to find a comeback, and sped out the door.

*****  
When Liam burst into the hospital, he wasted no time in running to the front desk.

  
'I'm looking for Killian Jones. He's my brother, he was in an accident where is he?' He was directed to a ward and he ran off before the receptionist could even ask where his parents were.

  
He stepped into the small room to see his brother asleep in a hospital bed, a white bandage where his left hand should have been. Liam gasped, tears prickling in his eyes. A dark haired woman who had been with him turned to face him.

  
'You're Liam then?' she asked in a low voice as she crossed over to him. Unable to do anything else, Liam nodded.

  
'I'm Milah.' She explained about the accident and what had happened, but Liam was only half paying attention.

  
'Thank you,' he said. 'For bringing him here, for getting me.....'

  
'It's nothing, kid. It's awful for him to have to go through any of this. I'm sorry to bring it up but, your parents. He didn't mention any.....'

  
'We live with our uncle. I'll call him.'

  
'Are you sure?'

  
'Yeah. I'll stay with him. Thank you so much.'

  
Milah, after half an hour of 'are you sure there's nothing else you need?' gave Liam her phone number and told her to call if he or Killian needed anything. Liam nodded and she went out, taking one last look at Killian. Then Liam sat beside Killian's bed, staring at the stump at the end of his left arm.

  
Killian woke up an hour later.

  
'Liam?' he asked, his blue eyes wide and afraid.

  
'Hey, baby brother,' Liam whispered.

  
'Younger brother,' he protested. 'How did you get here?'

  
'The woman, Milah. She called me at work. She told me you were in an accident-' Tears ran down Liam's face.

  
'I'm sorry.'

  
'Kill, you don't need to be sorry. Just please never do anything like that again.' Killian nodded and Liam sighed, a million thoughts bouncing around in his mind. He should have been there to look after him, he should have been there to make sure nothing like this happened.

  
'It's not your fault,' Killian muttered. The Jones brothers could always read each other like open books.

  
'I know,' he sighed. 'It's not yours either, Killian.' They sat in silence for a while, listening to the tick of the clock and the beeping of the machines.

  
'My hand's gone,' Killian said, as if he was noticing it for the first time.

  
'Yeah.'

  
Tears ran down Killian's face, which was covered with devestation.He knew then he'd be diabled for life, awaiting the taunts and the looks and the teasing. Liam held his right hand, stroking the back with his thumb.

  
'Liam?'

  
'Yeah.'

  
'Can you call Emma and tell her what happened?'

  
'Once she's home I'll let her know.' Killian smiled and shifted closer to Liam.

  
'Thanks for coming for me.'

  
'I always will, kid.'

  
*****

David dragged his case into the house, relieved to be back in Maine after a week in New York. Emma danced in after him, her Yankees cap still on her head. Neal got one too and he had appeared to thoroughly enjoy chewing it.

  
He set his bag in his room, intending to unpack later, and began putting on some fish sticks for Emma when his phone rang.

  
'Liam,' he greeted, seeing the name. 'Hey, kid.'

  
'Hi sir.' Liam's voice sounded thick on the other end, like he'd been crying and David was immediately concerned. 'Look, there's something I need to tell you.'

  
'What is it?'

  
'Killian- while you were away, he was in an accident.' David reached out to the table to steady himself.  
'Oh, God is he okay?'

  
'He's fine. I mean, not fine, but he's alive. David, they had to amputate his left hand.' He sighed, running a hand over his face at the thought of this wide eyed kid losing a limb like that, and the weight Liam was carrying.

  
'Oh God, Liam, I'm so-'

  
'Can you let Emma know? He wanted her to know.'

  
'Yeah, I'll pass it on to her. Is he still in hospital?'

  
'Yeah.'

  
'Okay I'll tell her.'

  
'Thank you, David.' Before David could reply, Liam had hung up. He noticed that Mary Margaret had entered and was watching, concerned.'Killian was in some sort of accident,' he whispered. 'That was Liam. He got his hand amputated.'

  
'That's awful,' she gasped. 'And does Killian want us to tell Emma?'

'Yeah.' David took a deep breath and composed himself. 'Emma! Can you come down here?'

Emma jumped down the stairs, blissfully unaware of what had happened to her friend.

'What is it?' she asked, looking from one parent to the next.

'Sweetie, we just got off the phone with Liam,' David explained. 'Killian got hurt.'

'What?' she asked, her expression crestfallen and starting to panic. 'How hurt?'

'He's in the hospital. He lost his left hand.' Emma gasped, tears in her green eyes and Mary Margaret immediately put her arms around her.

'Can we go see him?' she asked.

'Sure thing, baby,' her mother answered.

The next day, the whole Swan clan arrived in the hospital, Emma with a bag full of goodies for Killian and a present she got him in New York. She had never liked hospitals and pulled her jacket tighter around her, hoping it would settle the feeling in her stomach. She tried playing with Neal to distract herself, but she kept glancing down the corridor, afraid of seeing Killian being taken out on a stretcher.

She tiptoed down the spotless corridor until she found Killian's room. Her dad gave her a small shove on the back.

'Go on,' he muttered. 'He misses you.' Emma took a deep breath and walked in. Killian was sitting up in his bed, picking at the blanket, his left arm hidden under the blanket.

She cleared her throat and he looked up, surprised, tired and happy all at once.

'Emma!' he gasped. She ran over and he cleared a space for her to sit on the bed. 'How was New York?'

'It was so great! We went to the Statue of Liberty and went to Broadway and.....' She reached into her bag. 'I got you this.' She pulled out a snow globe of the Empire State Building.  
'Emma, thanks so much,' he laughed.

'What about you?' she asked. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah.' He pulled out his arm. Emma gasped at the stump covered in a white bandage. She looked up at him and placed her hand over the stump and smiled at him.

'Killian, you okay?' Liam entered and stopped when he noticed the Swans had come in. 

'Hey, Liam,' Emma greeted.

'Hey. Uh, how was New York?'

'Amazing,' she answered.

'Know what, why don't we give these two some privacy?' David asked. Mary Margaret nodded and followed him out. Liam waited but left too, closing the door behind him.

Once outside, Liam avoided David's eyes, not sure what to say.

'How are you holding up, kid?' he asked.

'Fine,' Liam lied.

'Liam,' Mary Margaret said. 'You don't have to lie to us.'

'I'm fine.' Liam quickly wiped the tears on his cheek.

'Liam?' David took a step closer. Liam looked up at him and broke.

'He's my little brother.' David wrapped his arms around him. 

'I know, kid, I know.'

'I'm not fine,' he confessed, crying into David's shirt as Mary Margaret stroked his back.

*****

'What does it feel like?' Emma asked, still holding onto Killian's arm.

'Weird,' he answered. 'I know it's meant to be there and it still feels like it should be there.'

'I read about that,' she replied. 'Like phantom-limbing. Or something. So are you going to get a robot hand?'

'I don't know,' he sighed. 'Maybe.'

'Like Iron Man? That'd be cool.'

'You think so?''I know so.' Killian let out a shuddering breath.

'Emma, this is a big thing.'

'I know.'

'And I'm scared-'

'That things will be weird now?'

'Yeah. That people will make fun of me.' Emma chewed her lip and took his right hand in hers.

'Hey, remember that time when we were sitting outside my tree house and you said that if anyone tried to take me to prison you wouldn't let them?'

'Yeah.'

'I promise that if anyone tries to make fun of you I won't let them.' Killian smiled, wider than he had since the whole thing began, and Emma returned the grin. 'Now I've got Reese's in here and my parents don't know, so come on.'

*****

Once Killian was let out of hospital, the Swans stood by the Jones brothers to the end. They insisted they both come back to their house (which they greatly preferred to having to go back to their uncle's) where they found Killian and Emma's friends had secretly organised a 'We're Glad You're Alive, Killian' party. Once they walked in, they were greeted by a chorus of 'surprise' and many hugs for Killian. Belle threw her arms around him, giggling.

'I'm glad you're okay,' she whispered. 

'Thanks, Belle.'

They all crowded round the kitchen table, which was covered in plates of mini pizzas, fries, chips and cake. A whole gaggle of ten year olds and the one twelve year old scrabbled for food. Liam, unfamiliar with the gang, hung back, until a blonde girl around his age showed up.

'Hi,' she greeted.

'Hey. I'm Liam.'

'I know. You're his brother, right?' Liam nodded.

'I'm Elsa. See the little ginger with the pigtails?' Liam found her easily-trying to sneak a second slice of cake-and nodded. 'That's Anna, my sister.'

'She's cute.'

'Must be hard. What happened to your brother. If anything like that happened to Anna, I'd..... you know.'

'Yeah.'

'So are you sticking around?' Liam looked at her. 'I mean, we're planning on watching a movie. Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back.' Liam smiled.

'I'd love that.'

The kids ended up all squashed on the one sofa, Emma and Killian side by side, Belle and Ruby on either side of them and Anna perched on the arm of the sofa with Elsa and Liam on the floor, sharing a blanket.

Emma shifted her position so her head leaned against Killian's shoulder and he put his arm around her. She reached over and gently touched his stump, a silent promise that they'd get through this together.

*****

A few weeks later, Killian got his new prosthetic; a black brace with a metal hook. He tapped it against the climbing frame, listening to the sound ring off it. He supposed it was better than a fake hand that couldn't do anything, so there was that. He was in the park with Emma, wanting to give his hook a test drive.

'Ready?' she asked. He nodded slowly. 'Baby steps.' 

Killian waked over to the net at the side of the climbing frame. With one hand he grabbed the net and he linked his hook through another part. He kept going like that, linking his hook through one piece of rope, until he reached the top. He tried to use his hook to get a grip on the surface of the pay structure, but it was too smooth, so he just used his hand and pulled himself up using his arm. Some things would always be different.  
'Nice one.' Emma climbed up and sat next to him.

  
'Thanks, Emma.' He looked down at his hook. 'Maybe being Captain Hook won't be so bad.'

  
'Plus, you can use the hook to open pickle jars.'

  
'Oh this just gets better!' Killian said, making Emma laugh. From their spot, they overlooked the whole of the playground, like a king and queen in their castle. They saw Mary Margaret coming up with two ice creams in her hands and Liam with his in one hand and pushing Neal in his stroller with the other.

  
It wouldn't be so bad at all.


	4. 12 and 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My daddy used to joke about the two of us, growing up and falling in love.

The winter Emma was twelve, there came the biggest snowfall Maine had ever seen. Once she opened her window, she saw the white flakes drifting down from the sky and gasped. She tried texting her friends while getting dressed-a task she was surprisingly good at-and came running downtairs. Neal was sitting at the table, still in his pyjamas, when he saw Emma and pointed to the window.

  
'Look Memma, look Memma!' At four years old, one would have expected Neal to be able to say "Emma" but it seemed she was permanently his "Memma". Not that she minded.

  
'I know, squirt,' she said, smiling as she lifted the box of Pop Tarts out of the cupboard. 'Want to go play in it?'

  
'Yes!' Neal jumed down from the table, abandoning his Lucky Charms and ran to the front door.

'Maybe you should get dressed first, lil bro.' Emma scooped him up and plopped him on the sofa before he could get out.

'Momma, Momma!' Neal called as Mary Margaret came down. 'It's snow, Momma!'

'I can see that, Neal,' she said. She glanced at Emma, dressed in boots, a jumper and a white beanie. 'Someone's ready to go out.'

'Yep.' Emma ran back to the kitchen and put her Pop Tarts in the toaster. 'Can I?' Mary Margaret looked from Neal to Emma, a lightbulb going off in her mind.

'Take Neal with you?' Part of Emma was glad, because she loved her baby brother and playing with him was normally more fun than a chore, but then again, she'd be limited to her back garden if Neal was with her.

'Fine,' she sighed. 'I'll just get my friends to come over here.' 

After eating, Emma wrapped Neal in at least three layers so that his green eyes, so like his mother and sister, were all that was visible between the thick scarf and hat.

'Nice and toasty, Neal?' Emma asked, fastening his coat.

Neal muttered something that sounded like "yes" so Emma took that answer. She opened the back door and was met with a blast of ice cold wind. Neal toddled off into the garden, his boots making fresh prints in the white powder. Emma ran off after him, jumping on every untarnished patch she could find.

'Memma! I wanna build a snowman!' 

'Magic word, squirt.'

'Please.' 

So Neal and Emma set to work piling snow on top of snow to make something resembling a man. They worked out a handy little system; Emma worked on height while Neal, showing a true passion for body positivity, piled on the snowperson's side to make them a little cuddly. They made steady progress until Emma felt something hit her back. She didn't even have to turn around to see who it was.

'Killian!' she squawked, turning to see him. His dark hair was hidden under a beanie and he wore a thick coat. His gloved hand was coated with snow. Emma scooped up some snow in her hand and flung it back at him.

'Oh, you're on, Swan.' He threw one that hit her in the chest, and she retaliated by catching his leg. They went on pounding each other until Neal ran in between them.

'My snowman!' he reminded his sister. Emma sighed and looked at Killian.

'Truce until we finish the snowman?' she offered.

'Truce,' he agreed.

With Killian's help, they managed to finish Neal's snowman in double quick time. It was just taller than him, which he liked. Emma ran inside and got a hat and long rainbow coloured scarf, which Neal wound around his snowman's neck.

'He needs arms,' Neal remarked. 'And a face.' The face was quick enough; they just stuck some stones on in the shape of a smile. Being struck by inspiration, Killian twisted off his hook and stuck it onto Mr Snowman's side, making Neal collapse into giggles.

'Wait, let me show my parents,' Emma laughed. She ran into the house and returned with her mother. 

'Emma what is it?'

'Look what Killian used for the snowman!' Seeing the sivler hook in the mass of snow, Mary Margaret couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head fondly.

'Let me get a picture of this.' The picture, of Emma and Killian on either side of the snowman and Neal kneeling in front of it, resided for many years in a frame over the Swan's fireplace.

After the snowman was finished, Neal decided that the cold was too much for him and he went inside with his mother. Emma watched them go and, while her back was turned, Killian attacked her with a snowball.

'Hey!' Emma turned to face Killian, who was whistling innocently.

'You said truce until the snowman was done. Snowman's done, Swan.' Emma took a deep breath and chucked a snowball at Killian.

'You're going down, Jones!' Emma and Killian pelted each other with snow. Emma ran past him, ducking to avoid being hit, and jumped into her treehouse.

'This is my base!' she declared. 'You shall not attack Kickass Castle.' Killian licked his lips and took shelter behind the barbeque.

'Let's see how well Kickass Castle fares against the might of the Coal Canon!'

'Really? Coal Canon?'

'It was in a pinch!' They collected amo from their halves of the garden, getting hit by each other, and ended up with Killian curled in a ball behind the barbeque and Emma had taken refuge inside her treehouse. Killian took up as much as he could and ran closer to her base.

'Swan! Come out and face me!' he called.

'Never!'

'Protect your Castle, princess.' There was a few moments of silence before Killian felt a snowball hit him right in the face. Emma poked her head out of the window and grinned until Killian returned the favour. She them jumped down from her treehouse and faced him.

After at least another hour of pelting each other, Emma gave up and tackled him head on. He lost his balance, but managed to grip her arm before she could.

'Bad form, Swan.' He knocked her to the ground, pining her arms down.

'You win, you win!' she shrieked, breathless. Satisfied, he sat back and helped her up. Once she was up, she tackled him to the ground and landed on top of him, so that her face was inches away from his, her hair brushed his cheek. 'I think I win.'

'Emma, Killian!' David called from the window. 'Come on, Mom's making hot cocoa. Unless, you two are doing something.....'

'Dad!' Emma screeched, jumping up from Killian. 'God!'

The two ran into the house, where they were each given a mug of hot cocoa, sprinkled with cinnamon, and curled up ont he sofa together,their coats on the radiator.

David sipped his hot cocoa as he watched his baby girl and her best friend together, hip to hip, like they always had been. He was really one of the best friends she'd ever had, even if he had doubted him the first time. As he walked past them, he hummed "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", knowing it would drive Emma crazy.

'Dad!' she sighed, rolling her eyes at him.

'What, Emma?' he asked in mock innocence. 'What could I possibly be trying to imply here? Right, Killian?'

'Don't drag me into this, David,' he said. 'I'm remaining neutral.'

David smiled and continued humming.


	5. 15 and 17

As summer drew to a close, the gang decided to have one more night of freedom. They met up in the park, hiding under the shade of a tree as the sun was setting. When Emma, Killian and Liam arrived, Ruby was spreading out a picnic blanket, wearing a red dress and black hat, her hair loose and drifting across her shoulders.  
'Hey guys,' she greeted, looking up from her bag. 'And Liam. Didn't expect to see you here.'  
'What else am I going to do tonight?' he asked, flopping down on the grass. 'Besides, someone has to chaperone this idiot. Killian stuck his tongue out at Liam before lying on his stomach. Emma lay on her back next to him, tickling him occasionaly. Killian had brought a box of mini muffins and Emma two bottles of Coke.  
'Is that enough?' Killian asked.  
'Oh, gosh, no,' Ruby replied. 'Luckily, I am the granddaughter of a woman who owns a diner. Observe.' She opened her bag to reveal candy bars, cakes and boxes of pizza and onion rings.  
Belle arrived soon after sitting next to Ruby, filling them in on the details of her latest book. She brought a bag of Starburst and a bottle of lemonade to add to the cause.  
Finally, Elsa and Anna showed up. Anna, despite being a teen, still had her pigtails in (she always looked good in them anyway). Liam perked up when he saw Elsa, who sat next to him, their knees touching. Killian and Emma raised their eyebrows at each other. "They think we haven't noticed."  
'Elsa, I didn't think you'd be here,' Liam remarked.  
'Well, someone needed to chaperone Anna.'  
'I don't need a chaperone, I'm 15,' Anna pouted.  
'Oh, well I suppose if you're old enough, then I don't need to be here. Liam, would you care to go for a walk with me?'  
'Of course.' Liam helped her to her feet. 'Killian, you can manage here, can't you?' Killian raised his eyebrows as Liam and Elsa took off together.  
'They think they're so subtle,' Emma muttered.  
'Who does?' Anna asked. Belle disguised her laugh as a cough and Ruby hid her grin underneath her hair.  
'Elsa and Liam,' Killian explained. 'They're dating.'  
'What?' Anna squeaked. 'No, no I'd notice if my sister was dating-'  
'Anna,' Emma said. 'I love you, but you're not the most observant person in the world.' Anna opened her mouth to protest, but closed it again.  
'So how long have they been together?' Belle asked, popping a Skittle into her mouth.  
'At least four months,' Killian replied. 'Emma and I have been trying to work that out.'  
'How?'  
'Seeing when he's gone out, when he started texting more, when he started buying stuff.....'  
'Stalker,' Ruby muttered.  
'Science,' Emma corrected.  
Ruby threw a Skittle at Emma, who expertly caught it in her mouth. The gang made their way through the food, even if there was some stealing food off other people, and gossiped about what was going on in school. The girls stressed over going into their sophmore year while Killian played the "I'm a senior" card, prompting Emma to hit him with an empty Coke bottle, which then gave them the inspiration for "Truth or Dare."  
Ruby groaned as the bottle (once again) landed on her.  
'Okay, Rubs, truth or dare?' Belle asked.  
'Uh, truth.' After taking her shirt off and running up and down the path, burping the alphabet and doing a (sort of accurate) impression of her grandmother, she refused to take any more dares.  
'Okay, um.' Belle rocked back on her heels, thinking. 'Screw, marry, kill-me, Mulan and Dorothy.'  
'Oh gosh.' Ruby's face turned as red as her name. 'Okay, well, Mulan looks like fun in the sheets, so screw. Dorothy's a cutie, so she's my new wife. So.... Belle dies.'  
'Oh Lord.' Belle got up and pretended to leave. 'There went five years of friendship.'  
'Okay, spin it , Ruby,' Anna said. This time, the bottle landed on Emma.  
'K, truth or dare, Swan?'  
'Dare.' Ruby considered hard before Anna whispered in her ear. Ruby gasped, eyes wide, trying to control her laughter.  
'Anna, seriously?'  
'Come on.' Ruby sighed, grinning.  
'Okay, Swan, I dare you to kiss Killian.' Emma gasped and Killian sat upright.  
'Really?' she said.  
'Yep.'  
'Nope. Not doing it.'  
'You have to,' Belle insisted. 'It's a dare, Emma.' Emma rolled her eyes and shared a look with Killian. Seeing that he was fine with it, they both got to their feet.  
'Behind the tree,' he said. 'Let's have a little privacy.' He and Emma disappeared behind the tree, leaving their friends in a fit of giggles.  
'You ready for this?' she asked.  
'I guess,' he answered. 'Look, Emma. You're my best friend. So this won't change that right?'  
'Nothing ever could,' she replied, her throat getting tight. Killian smiled nervously.  
'Okay, so how do we-' Emma grabbed him by the collar and kissed him, catching him off guard. He buried his fingers in her hair and she cradled the back of his head. It was the first kiss for both of them and it knocked both of them off their feet. Emma's heart was pounding so heart she would have thought it was about to burst if she had been paying attention to anything other than Killian; how his lips felt against hers and his brace against her hip. He gave a slight moan and pulled away before something between them pulled them back together. They went on like that before Emma finally pulled away with their foreheads touching and lips practically grazing each others.  
'That was....' he muttered.  
'A one time thing,' she finished, stepping back. She tried to give him a reassuring smile but her cheeks were still pink and his eyes bright. They stood for a moment, catching their breath and Killian fixing his hair before reappearing to the group.  
'Well,' Ruby said. 'You two took your time.'  
'Uh yeah.' They sat back down. 'My turn then?' Emma spun the bottle with a shaking hand, trying to distract herself. She took one side glance at Killian and felt her stomach do a backflip.  
******  
When Elsa and Liam returned, Anna was in the middle of braiding her hair in with Belle's.  
'Do I even want to know?' Elsa asked.  
'Truth or dare,' Emma explained.  
'Hey, Elsa?' Anna asked. 'How long have you been dating Liam?'  
Elsa scoffed and Liam blushed, staring at the ground. They both searched for the right words.  
'Three and a half months,' Elsa confessed.  
'Oh, well we were close,' Emma said to Killian.  
'You two knew?' Liam asked.  
'Yep.' Killian smiled as he shoved some Skittles into his mouth. 'Sorry, brother.'  
'So if you all know.....' Liam sat down, Elsa next to him. 'Then I suppose no one will object to this.' He put his arm around Elsa, who put her head on his shoulder and snuggled up to him. To top it off, he kissed her blonde hair lightly.  
'Oh my gosh I'm going to vomit,' Killian gasped, doing a pantomime of puking. After he was finished, he looked at his brother, curled up with his girlfriend and somehow, his eyes found their way to Emma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frozen Jewel cause I am weak and Liam needs love.


	6. 16 (going on 17) and 18 (going on 19)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is pretty long.  
> Also, there is statuatory rape in this chapter. If you cannot read that, move to the next chapter or at least proceed with caution

Emma was so screwed. She had told her parents she'd be hone by 8:30 but had lost track of time while studying at Ruby's and now was racing home at 8:25. She took a shortcut through an alleyway at the end of Ruby's street, one that led her to the street next to hers. Normally, it took her to her house in ten minutes, and five minutes late would hardly make a differene.  
However, she stopped in her tracks when she noticed that the large gate at the end of the alleyway was shit. Her heart dropped. Normally, the gate was open, she didn't even think people knew it was there anymore. But there it was, cutting her off from her home. Emma groaned and ran to the wall, fingers scrabbling to find the lock.  
'Come on, come on, come on.' Her fingers closed around rusted metal and she sighed with relief. After checking to make sure that the cost was clear, she puled a hairpin out of her hair and jimmied it in the lock. After a few seconds, she heard a click and the lock opened. 'Thank God.'  
'Impressive.' The voice behind her turned her blook to ice and she let out a shriek. Heart pounding, she turned to see a man leaning against the wall, smirking at her. 'But really, you could have just asked me for the keys.' Emma struggled to catch her breath as the man walked towards her. 'Neal Cassidy.'  
'I'm not telling you my name,' she said, her voice shaking.  
'Well I don't need it to have you arrested when the breaking of property's in progress,' he chuckled.  
'Emma. Swan.'  
'Good name. Where are you going, Emma Swan?'  
'Home. I'm late home and I-' She began backing away from him but he followed her. 'So do you just hang around waiting for people to pick the lock?'  
'Why don't I tell you over drinks?'  
'I am not drinking with you!' she snapped. 'You might be a pervert.'  
'I might be, but you're definitely breaking private property. That gate belongs to the city. What do you think would happen if they knew you picked the lock?' Emma turned and ran out the gate, ready to just get home and avoid being lectured by her parents. When she did, she collided right with a police officer. He looked down at her with eyes like a hawk and she felt herself shrinking.  
'Where are you running to, missy?'  
'Terribly sorry officer,' Neal cut in before she could make up an excuse. 'See, I was trying to show my girlfriend a photo on my phone and she saw a Creepypasta I downloaded and panicked.' Emma raised her eyebrows at him at the "girlfriend".  
'Ran quite a bit,' the cop observed.  
'Yeah, but you know. Women.'  
'All right, I got you.' The cop left, leaving Neal and Emma alone.  
'Girlfriend?' she scoffed.  
'Look I just saved your ass.'  
'Guess you did.'  
'Now how about that drink?' he asked. Emma smiled, licking her lips.  
*****  
Ruby approached Emma just as she was closing her locker. As she did, she notcied the light of Emma's phone glowing on her face, even for a moment.  
'You know you'll get that confiscated, right?' Ruby teased.  
'Oh, it's fine,' Emma sighed. 'Not like any teachers are around to see.' Ruby noticed the pink spreading across Emma's cheeks and gasped.  
'Okay, spill it.'  
'Spill what?'  
'Who's making you blush like that?' Belle and Anna came up behind her, just in time to hear to say that.  
'Who's making who blush?' Belle asked. Emma rolled her eyes at her friends and decided to tell them.  
'Oh just.... my boyfriend.' It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dropped on the group. Anna squealed, Ruby laughed and Belle's jaw simply dropped open.  
'Boyfriend?' Belle asked.  
'Seriously?' Anna babbed. 'How long has this been happening? Where did you two meet, why haven't we met him?'  
'It's only been a week,' Emma protested. 'Chill.'  
'Okay what's his name?'  
'Neal.'  
'What school does he go to? Does he go here?' Belle looked over her shoulder, like she expected Neal to appear walking down the hall.  
'He doesn't go to school,' Emma explained.  
'Wait.....' Bele looked skeptical. 'How old is....'  
'He's 22.' Her friends gasped, looking from one to the other.  
'Emma,' Anna began. '22? Really? I mean.....'  
'He's way too old for you!' Belle finished.  
'When did you two become my paretns?' Emma asked, her smile fading.  
'Emma, sorry but, you're sixteen,' Ruby went on. 'And he's an adult.'  
'Yeah but-' Emma searched for a comeback. 'You don't get it. You don't get me and him.'  
'Emma, please,' Belle said. 'Where did you two meet?'  
'On a street while I was coming home,' Emma said, getting angry. Ruby hung her head. 'Know what, I don't need this.' She closed her locker and walked away.  
******  
'Stop making a fool out of me, won't you come on over Valerie.....' Liam sang softly as he flipped the pancake over in the pan. After he had finished school and started working at a large supermarket full-time, working his way up slowly but surely, and Killian got a job after he finished school the year before, they managed to rent a litte flat at the end of their street, away from their uncle. The best part of their own place was when Killian was at work or out somewhere, he and Elsa could have some private time. He felt two arms creep around his waist and a soft kiss being pressed to the back of his head.  
'What, Star Trek not enough for you?' he muttered as Elsa snuggled against his shoulder.  
'No,' she said. 'I just wanted my pancakes.'  
'Well, patience is a virtue,' he reminded her. She sat up on the counter.  
'Want to entertain me while I'm waiting?' Liam pressed a kiss to her lips, grinning. He then left the spatula and wrapped her slender body in his arms and she caressed the back fo his head. He began wondering how much time he had before Killian got back and.....  
'Liam?' The door closed behind Killian and Liam and Elsa swiftly broke apart. 'You won't believe it, the bloody gig was cancelled and I had to lump my guitar all the way home.' After losing his hand, Killian had trained himself to continue playing one-handed and earned gigs in clubs. He entered the kitchen, where Elsa was still perched on the counter and Liam was next to her.  
'That's a tragedy, Killian,' Liam answered. Killian looked from Elsa to his brother, calculating the distance between them.  
'Hey, Killian.' Elsa kept off the counter. 'I need to talk to you.'  
'What?'  
'It's about Emma. Anna told me that..... She has a boyfriend.' Killian scoffed, lifting a bottle of water out of the fridge.  
'Well that's.... good for her! I mean, that's great, she's got a boyfriend!' He picked up his guitar, trying to act casual. 'Why should I care that Emma's got a love life now? I mean, really Elsa, thanks and all but.....' Liam coudn't help but chuckle at his brother, which earned him a glare from Elsa.  
'Killian, her boyfriend's 22,' Elsa explained.  
'What?'  
'Anna and Ruby and Belle, they all tried to talk her out of it but no use,' she sighed. 'And I thought.....'  
'I'll talk to her,' Killian assured her. 'Who is this guy?'  
'Apparently he met her while she was walking home once,' Elsa answered. Liam sighed, leaning against the coutner and looked over at Killian, who nodded.  
'I'll talk to her.'  
*****  
Emma and Killian met up at the playground after Killian had texted her, telling her it was 'urgent'.  
'Okay, what's so urgent you couldn't text me?' she asked, sitting on the swing. Killian could hardly look at her. She was smiling without a care in the world, her eyes shining. This was going to crush her, then him.  
'Emma, I know about your boyfriend.' She blushed, hiding behind her hair. 'Emma, what are you thinking?'  
'What?' she asked, her tone hard. She shot him a glare that cut him like a knife.  
'Emma, he's 22. You're 16. Come on.'  
'I know how old I am and how old he is!' she snapped. 'Why does everyone-'  
'Because he's an adult Emma, you're a child!'  
'I'm 17 in a month!' She jumped off the swing and turned to look him the eye.  
'Emma, what do you know about him?' he asked. 'His job, his family-'  
'What did I know about you when I met you?' That one got him.  
'We were kids, Emma. This is a boyfriend you're talking about. One who you met while walking home?'  
'What didn't they tell you?'  
'Anna told Elsa, Elsa told me. We're worried about you, Emma.' Tears sprang up in Emma's eyes.  
'I thought you'd underrstand,' she whispered. 'I thought, even if I can trust no one with this, Killian will be on my side.'  
'I am on your side, Emma,' he pleaded. 'Which is why you need to get away from this guy before he-'  
'Know what?' She walked past him, not even looking at him. 'Just leave me alone Killian. Get Elsa to tell Anna that.'  
******  
After that, Emma never spoke to her friends. They tried to reach out to her in school, by text, on Facebook and she ignored them every single time. She moved to a different lunch table, blanked them in class and stopped going to clubs with them.  
She also cut Killian out of her life. He kept texting her, asking her to listen to him, but she deleted every single one.  
When October rolled around and her birthday came, she invited no one.  
'I thought they were my friends,' she complained to Neal as they sat in the back of his truck one Friday night when her parents thought she was with Belle.. 'I thought they'd listen to me.'  
'Emma, listen, if they won't listen to you then you don't need them,' he said. Emma smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. 'But I want you to know I am serious about this.'  
'About what?'  
'Us. Our future.'  
'We have one?'  
'Of course. I want us to have one, a proper future some day.' Emma smiled at him, her face lighting up.  
'Really?'  
'Yeah, babe.' Neal leaned over and kissed her. As he did, his hand found her waist and slid up her shirt. She gasped and pulled away from him, eyes wide. 'Emma, I'm sorry. I don't want to-'  
'It's okay. I want to.' Neal pulled her closer and slid her jeans down her body.  
*****  
Killian was waiting for his home when his phone rang. He transferred his guitar case to his hook and fished it out of his pocket. His heart sank when he saw "Emma" on the caller ID with a picture of her smiling at him. He picked up and did his best to sound distant.  
'Hello?'  
'Killian.' He heard her crying on the other end. 'Killian I need you.' All anger he had for her these past months went out the window. 'Please, I need you.'  
'Where are you?'  
'Our spot.' The playground.  
'Emma-'  
'Just please come. I'm so sorry.'  
'I'll be there as soon as I can.'  
Once he got there, he saw Emma on the climbing frame, clutching something in her hand. She was curled up tightly, her hair hiding her face. When he approached her, her eyes were red.  
'Emma?' he asked cautiously. She looked up and gave him a weak smile. 'What's wrong?'  
'I should have listened to you about Neal,' she confessed. 'I should have-'  
'What happened?'  
'He's gone. He left me. He just up and left with a note. Something about family business. But he left me where I met him and these cops came and asked why I had the key to the gate and I was lucky to get off with a warning!'  
'Emma, I'm so sorry.'  
'That's not even the worst part.' She looked at him, his blue eyes full of concern, and remebered that day in her treehouse, where he had shared his deepest secret with her. Now it was her turn. Shaking, she revealed what was in her hands; a pregnancy test. A positive pregnancy test. 'I-I-I'm pregnant.'  
'Holy crap,' Killian muttered. He took Emma in his arms and rocked her as she cried. 'Emma when did you-'  
'The week after my birthday.'  
'Oh, Jesus, Emma.' He continued rocking her, wishing he knew what to say to her.  
'I'm sorry, I should have-'  
'It's okay. I forgive you. You don't have to say anything.'  
'My parents are going to kill me!'  
'Emma you have to tell them.'  
'I know, I know, I just-'She took a deep breath. 'Come with me? I know I've been an awful friend and-'  
'Emma,' he interrupted her. 'Of course I'll come with you.' He jumped down from the climbing frame and offered her a hand. She took it, but looked reluctant. 'Emma, you can't hide this from them.'  
She nodded and gently climbed down. They walked down to Emma's together, hand in hand, the December wind blowing their hair.  
*****  
'Mom? Dad?' Emma called as they entered. Emma felt a metallic taste in her mouth as she rehearsed what she was going to say to them over and over in her mind.  
'Emma?' David looked down from the stairs. 'Hey, have a nice walk? Hey Killian.'  
'Dad, can I talk to you and Mom?' Emma asked.  
The Swan clan-bar Neal-sat at their kitchen table, David and Mary Margaret holding hands, mirroring Emma and Killian. Emma, silently, took the pregnancy test out of her pocket and slid it across the table. She watched her parents and waited for the yelling, the screaming, the tears. None came. Her mother stared at it, as if she wasn't sure it was real, and her father looked from her to Killian.  
'He's not the father,' Emma muttered.  
'Then who is?' Mary Margaret asked in a thin voice. She then explained about Neal, how they met, her friends and the week after her birthday.  
'A 22 year old?' her father asked. Emma nodded meekly. She saw his anger build and subside in the same breath. 'We'll deal with Mr Cassidy later. Right now we have bigger problems.' Emma pulled her jacket over her stomach.  
'Emma,' her mother asked. 'Do you want your baby?'  
'Yeah.' The tears started again. 'I know I'm only 17 and I don't know hwo to be a parent but I don't want to give this one up!'  
'I get it, Emma,' Mary Margaret said. She turned to her husband. 'She's keeping the baby.' David didn't argue.  
'Well, Emma, nine months and counting.'  
*****  
First, Emma explained to her friends. Elsa, Belle, Anna, Ruby and Liam were all crowded in her bedroom as she explained what was happening. Belle threw her arms around her before she could even finish. Elsa stroked her back while Anna rested her head on her shoulder.  
'I'll have a talk with this Cassidy fellow,' Liam muttered.  
'If you can find him,' Emma replied. Liam opened his mouth to reply, but a look from his brother told him otherwise. They all crowded around Emma, mindful of her stomach, and Emma regretted more than ever that she pushed them away.  
She coudn't keep the secret in school. Her bump was beginning to show, but she laughed it off as 'eating too much'. She opted out of PE. Then finally, someone overheard her and Ruby. That someone was Regina Mills.  
'Hey, Swan,' she asked, strolling up to Emma's locker. Emma rolled her eyes. Regina had bullied her and her friends right from elementary school. When Killian lost his hand, she coined the nickname "handless wonder" and her and her friends picked on him so badly he started skipping school.  
'What is it, Regina?'  
'How's the baby?' Emma's blood ran cold.  
'What baby?'  
'The baby in your stomach.' Regina's voice rang out across the halls, causing everyone to stop and stare at Emma, mouths wide. Ruby and Anna immediately ran to her side.  
'Knock it off, Regina,' Ruby warned.  
'Or what?' she scoffed. 'You think I don't know that she's preggers? Love to know who the daddy is. Not the handless wonder is it?'  
'Back off,' Ruby growled.  
'Whatever,' Regina said. 'Little witch.'  
'The only witch around here is you,' Anna replied. Then, she turned, lightening quick, and punched Regina in the face. Elsa couldn't even be angry at that.  
*****  
At six months along, Emma padded into the living room where her mother and brother were and stroked her bump thoughfully.  
'Mom?' she asked. Mary Margaret looked up and cleared a space for her on the sofa. Emma sat down and Neal immediately ran over and touched her stomach. 'I wanted to talk to you about baby names.'  
'Really?' she said, touched.  
'I want to call them something important, you know. Connected to our family. Do we have anything?' Emma asked.  
'Why won't the baby kick?' Neal asked, uninterested in the name of his newest family member.  
'Becuase, your niece or nephew won't kick for you. He only does for me.' Neal pouted and poked his tongue out at Emma.  
'I vote we call him Neal.' Emma shuddered and looked to her mother, desperate for a way out.  
'Emma won't name your little niece or nephew after you, Neal,' Mary Margaret said. 'She'll name him or her after one of your older relatives. In fact....' She crossed to the bookshelf and lifted out a thin leather book, making both her kids sit to attention.  
'What's that?' Neal asked.  
'Your father and I did this when we were married. Emma I think you've seen it....'  
'Yeah, it's the Swan-Blanchard family tree,' Emma said, remembering when she was five and skimmed through it on her father's lap. 'All the first pages have your family and the back pages have Dad's.'  
'Indeed.' She placed the book in her daughter's lap. 'There's bound to be names in here.' Emma opened the book in the middle, where there were two photographs of her parents, with Mary Margaret Swan (nee Blanchard) and David Swan written under them in her Granda Leo's loopy script and a pink line (standing for married) drawn between them. Underneath them were Emma Swan and Neal Swan (with baby pictures for each) with a green line from their parents to them (standing for parents) and a blue line between them (standing for siblings).  
'How far back does this go?' Emma asked.  
'Early 1900s. With my great great grandmother,' Mary Margaret said. 'Here, look through that, see anyones you like?'  
Emma flipped back to her grandparents. She had loved her Grandpa Leo, but Neal's middle name was Leopold so that was out. She then skipped back to her great grandparents. There she saw her great grandparents. At the very end of the page was a black and white photo with the name 'Henry' under it.  
'My step-grandad,' Mary Margaret told her. 'Gosh, he was great. After my Mom died, Dad remarried when I was 12. I never liked the step mother, but Grandpa Henry was great.' She smiled, her eyes with two conflicting emotions. Emma knew she'd been named Emma Eva after her grandmother. She'd only heard small tales of Great Grandpa Henry, but from what she heard, he was one of the loveliest people her mother had ever met. Emma placed a hand on her bump.  
'Henry Swan. Has a nice ring to it, right?' Mary Margaret looked at her.  
'Really? Henry?' Emma nodded, finding her eyes wet.  
'Hey what's going on here?' her father asked.  
'Looking at some family baby names,' Emma explained. David walked in and sat on the couch, pulling Neal into his lap.  
'I think I'm going for Henry for a boy,' she explained. 'After Great Step-Grandpa Henry.'  
'Nice.' David looked over at his wife. 'Middle name?'  
'I don't know.' David flicked a few pages forwards to his generation. There were his parents, Ruth (Emma's beloved Grandmother who currently lived in Arizona) and Arthur (who died when David was still a kid). Then there was David Swan and beside him was a mirror image; James Swan. Her dad had an identical twin who died when they were still teens. Despite never having got along with his brother, apparently David was inconsolable after his death. 'James?'  
'I've been thinking about him a lot lately,' he admitted. 'Emma, I don't want to force you to pick name but.....'  
'Henry James. It fits.' Her dad smiled and kissed her forhead.  
'Okay, girl names now. I think it'll definetely be Ruth something.' She nodded to her dad. 'But then.....' She skimmed through the book, looking for something that popped out at her. She stopped at her mother's page and saw an Aunt Johanna. Her mother laughed.  
'Aunt Johanna.'  
'I know her.' She hadn't been her mother's real aunt, but she had raised her and she felt like she was part of the family. 'Ruth Johana Swan.' Her parents smiled at each other before looking to Emma. Emma wiped a tear from her cheek and placed a hand on her bump.  
'Well, be it Henry James Swan or Ruth Johana Swan. We're lucky to have you.'  
*****  
Just like when Killian lost his hand and the Swans were there for him, the Jones brothers stood by Emma throughout her pregnancy. Killian was-as always-her shoulder to lean on. Liam worked with her father to track down Neal.  
Whenever she complained of cravings, Killian would run to the store to get her whatever she desired, be it chips or chocolate. Liam put on his big brother hat and made sure she was eating enough for the baby, but she knew she was anyway. When pain got too bad for her, she'd lay down on their sofa, often with her head in Killian's lap and try to sleep it off.  
Elsa noticed them on the sofa together, his hands stroking her hair and her smiling softly. Liam came up behind her, tracing patterns on her back.  
'Your hands freezing,' she muttered, not wanting to disturb them. Liam chucked and placed his hand on her neck to annoy her. 'Look at them.'  
'I know,' he replied, looking at his baby brother and his best friend. He was so grateful for them having each other's backs, no matter what happened. Elsa stepped away from the door and he followed.  
'Liam, have you noticed....'  
'The way he looks at her?' he finished. 'Yes. I know that look.' Elsa pouted at her question being stolen but wrapped her arms around Liam.  
'Oh?'  
'The same way I look at you.'  
'Now you're being cheesy.' But she leaned in closer, her nose brushing his. 'But you're right. And the way she looks at him.'  
'Should we play cupid?' he asked.  
'No. Let them work it out. Then we can say we always knew.' She touched his waist lightly. 'You know, I think the last time we had a quiet moment, we got interrupted.' Liam took her hand and let her lead him upstairs, while his little brother sat in the living room and Emma half asleep on their sofa.  
*****  
That July, Emma had her baby. After hours in the hospital, with her mother by her side, she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Once her little man was placed in her arms, she forgot all the pain that she went through. Her son immediately setted in her arms, gurging quietly.  
'Oh, hi,' she whispered. 'I'm your mommy.' She looked up at her own mother. 'My kid. This is my kid.' Mary Margaret nodded and gently traced her grandson's cheek. 'I don't know why i'm crying.'

'I do,' Mary Margaret whispered. 'I cried when I held you.' Emma let her mother wipe her tears away as her dad and brother entered quietly.

'Hey, squirt. Want to meet your nephew?' Neal nodded and-for the first time his parents or sister had seen-was quiet as he stood beside her, taking in every detail of his nephew.  
'What's his name?' he asked quietly.  
'Henry. Henry James Swan.'  
*****  
Two days later, the Jones brothers paid a visit. Liam came in with a bag full of diapers, sleep suits and blankets.  
'You didn't have to do that,' Emma sighed.  
'Anything for Liam Junior,' he joked. 'How is the munchkin?'  
'He's full term and completely healthy,' Emma said proudly. 'Not a thing wrong with him.'  
'That's amazing.' Killian crouched next to her. 'He has your eyes. And that chin dimple.'  
'You think?' she examined his little face carefully, searching for a replication of her. 'Yeah, there it is.' Killian smiled and put his arm around her to show his support.  
'And are you okay?' Emma tensed up.  
'I know Dad and Liam found Neal. That he's going to want to see Henry.' She tightened her grip on him like she was trying to defend him from his father. 'And that's okay.'  
'You are bloody brilliant, you know that?' Emma shot him a mock-glare.  
'Don't swear around the baby, Jones.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a thing for Frozen Jewel, okay?


	7. 17 and 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is really tying up loose ends from the previous chapter and setting up the next one.

Emma rocked Henry in his baby seat, wanting a distraction from her thoughts. After her father had tracked down Neal Cassidy and told him what he did to her and about Henry, Neal demanded a chance to see his child. It was agreed that he would see Henry at Emma's house when her mother was in the room and her father outside the door. Now she was watching the hands on the clock, just two minutes to go until it happened.  
'Are you okay?' Mary Margaret asked.  
'I think so,' she said. Henry, five weeks old, was awake was playing with his seat strap. 'I don't know.'  
'Well, you never know, Dad might kill him before he even gets in here.' Emma laughed but it was too quick, showing she was trying to hide her nerves. When the door opened, she jumped out of her skin, wanting to take Henry, run out and never look back.  
And then he came in. He looked the same as he had a year ago, even the same smile. Emma pushed herself back on the sofa, keeping her eyes on Henry. Her mother's eyes were all rage.  
'Hey, Emma,' Neal said. 'Hey, Mrs Swan.'  
'Don't,' Mary Margaret ordered. 'You came here to see your son so see him.' Neal nodded and squatted infront of Henry.  
'Hey, little buddy. I'm your daddy.' Emma turned away as Henry clutched Neal's finger with his hand. 'What's his name?'  
'Henry,' Emma said. 'Henry James Swan.'  
'Shouldn't it be Henry James Cassidy? Really, I'd have gone with-'  
'No one cares Neal,' David said, leaning in the doorway. 'If you wanted to name him you'd have never ditched Emma.'  
'Look, Emma.' Neal looked her in the eye, lpeading with her. 'Look you've got to understand why I left you. My dad, things were complicated.'  
'You never said goodbye,' she said. 'Never once stopped to tell me. And I got pregnant....'  
'Because you had sex with a teenager,' David said. 'Now stop it and see the kid.'   
'Can I pick him up?' Emma nodded and he scooped Henry up, settling him awkwardly on his shoulder. He smirked proudly, rocking him for a while before Henry started crying. Emma couldn't stop the smirk when Neal desperately tried to quieten him, only resulting in him crying louder.  
'Give him to me,' Emma said, holding her arms out. Neal reluctantly placed him into arms. After a few moments of being rocked by Emma, Henry settled down.   
'How did you do that?'  
'It's a gift,' Emma smiled. Neal nodded and stood awkwardly in the middle of the room.  
'Oh, did I tell you?' David asked his wife, but looking at Neal out of the corner of his eye. 'That I got us a lawyer.'  
'A lawyer?' Emma asked, playing innocent. 'What for Daddy?'  
'Oh for the case against Neal.' Neal himself spluttered, cheeks reddening.  
'What?' he asked. 'Case against me?'  
'You had sex with a minor,' David reminded him. 'Also, I expect child support.'  
*****  
'To Neal Cassidy,' Emma toasted. 'May his 3 years in prison be pleasant.' The Swans had won the case pretty swiftly (Neal had very little defense) and to celebrate, Liam had ordered three large pizzas. They sat in the Jones' living room, Killian, Emma, Henry, Elsa and Liam, toasting to Neal's imprisonment.  
'Hey, no baby,' Emma laughed as Henry reached for her pizza. 'Not for babies. Baby got his milk.'  
'When will you stop calling him "baby"?' Killian asked.   
'Probably when I've had some sleep,' Emma laughed. She wore an oversized hoodie and sweats most of the time, hair in a ponytail but she had a newfound light about her even though she was exhausted.  
'Hey, that slice is mine,' Elsa snapped when Liam lifted the last chicken and sweetcorn. He held it back where it was just out of her reach.  
'Kiss me for it?' he teased. Elsa pecked him on the lips and he handed the pizza over to her.  
'Ewww,' Emma and Killian chorused, causing Liam to laugh. Then he got up and fetched a plate of large cookies from the kitchen. Double chocolate ones too.  
'Liam!' Emma laughed, lifting one off. Killian looked more skeptical.  
'Okay,' he said. 'So pizza and big cookies? There's something else.' Liam's face fell and he slowly nodded.  
'There is,' he confessed. Emma and Killian sat to attention. Liam took something out of his jacket pocket. 'This came this morning.' He handed it over to them.  
'You've been accepted into the Navy?' Emma asked, lifting Henry up. Killian looked in shock.  
'Yeah. Killian?'   
'Liam,' he said. 'I'm happy for you!'  
'Seriously?' he asked.  
'This has been your dream since.... forever! If this is what you want to do, then what kind of a little brother would I be if I stood in your way?' Liam reached over and messed up Killian's hair.  
'So when do you leave?' Emma asked.  
'Next month. Honestly, I'm just glad I got to meet Henry and see that jackass go to prison.' Emma toasted her glass again.   
'To Liam. He will be the finest captain to ever hoist a sail!' she declared.  
'Oh, he's fine all right.....'  
'Elsa!' Emma scolded, covering Henry's ears.  
Later, Emma and Killian were doing the dishes in the kitchen, Henry asleep on the sofa. Emma had placed cushions at the base in the (very unlikely) even that he'd fall.  
'He's not going to roll off, you know,' Killian reminded her.  
'You'll understand when you're older,' she teased, drying a plate.  
'I will have you know I raised a guinea pig. Remember Sargent Fluffy?'  
'Yes, and how well did that go?'  
'He died of natural causes, the vet said.' Emma rolled her eyes and put two plates in the cupboard. When she looked back, she notcied Killian had stopped washing and was staring out the window, lost in thought.  
'Hey.' She tapped his shoulder. 'Earth to Killian.' He snapped out of his trance and looked at her. 'Thinking about Liam?'  
'Yeah. I mean....'  
'I know. I'll miss him too.'  
'I'll have the whole place to myself.'  
'Henry and I can move in,' she offered.  
'And how would your parents react to that?' he asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
'Fair point,' she giggled. 'But I'm with you. To the end of the line.' She placed her cheek against his shoulder. For a few moments, there was nothing but the sound of their breathing and the clock ticking.  
'Okay, now you're just being sappy.' He pushed her off his shoulder, causing her to fake-pout and flick him with water.


	8. 19 and 21

It was late morning in August. Emma was having breakfast over at Killian's, having stayed the night there in fact, needing a break from her parent's hovering over her. A now two year old Henry was perched on her lap, laughing at his cartoons on the TV.

  
'Wish I had your sense of humour, kid,' she muttered as brightly coloured shapes danced onscreen, clearly entertaining him. He has a head of dark hair now and bright green eyes an was getting bigger each day. The feature Emma loved most were the little dimples whenever he smiled. She poked his cheeks as he laughed and he grabbed her finger, teasing her.

 

'Okay, I have little pancakes cut into even littler pancakes,' Killian announced, setting the plate in front of Henry. 'And a bowl of our finest Cornflakes.'

  
'Okay, wait.' Emma gently shifted Henry off her knee and handed him his pancakes before he could protest. Seconds later, he was happily chewing on his pancake and applauding the TV.

  
'He's getting better at being left alone,' Emma remarked, following Killian into the kitchen with her cereal.

  
'He's a growing lad.' Emma looked back at Henry, feeling a wamrth in her stomach as he clapped along to the TV.

  
'I know. Thanks for letting us crash here.'

  
'Hey, my house is your house. Just like when we were kids and I camped in your room for a day before Liam found me.'

  
On the fridge, there was a calender with days ticked off in red pen. Seventeen days from then, the word 'LIAM' was scrawled in marker. That was when Liam was coming back from the Navy after six months overseas.

  
Killian took a quick look at the calender as he got butter out of the fridge.

 

'I know,' Emma said. 'Just over two weeks.'

'Yeah until he moves back in and starts annoying me again.' Emma raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

  
'Then we're going to have to bunk in together,' Killian reminded her.

  
'Crap.' She had used Liam's room last night, with Henry in a put up crib Killian got for emergencies. She jumped of the counter and hugged him from behind, nuzzling into his neck.

  
'What are you at?' he asked, amused.

  
'Testing your personal space. If we're going to share beds, I might as well know now.'

  
'Okay, I was suggesting you crash on the floor....'

  
'No you weren't. You love me too much.'

  
'Oh I do, do I?' Emma laughed as Killian's phone rang. He moved to pick it up, Emma's arms still wrapped around his waist.

  
'Hello?' he answered, pushing Emma away from him.

  
'Killian Jones?'

 

'Yes, who is this?'

'This is Captain Royal. I'm afraid.....'

'What is it?' Killian asked, his hand shaking too much to hold the phone. Emma stopped messing around and snapped to attention.

'Your brother's ship, the Jewel, went down. There were no survivors. I'm so sorry, Mr Jones.' Killian let the phone drop out of his hands and clatter to the ground.

'Killian?' Emma asked, picking up the phone and hitting the end call button. 'What is it?'

'It's..... Liam.' Killian looked up at Emma, voice breaking, tears in his eyes. 'He's dead.' Emma felt her chest tighten. Unable to speak, she wrapped her arms around Killian. He pulled her against him and buried his face in her hair.

'I'm so sorry, Killian.'

*****

The day of the funeral, the sun was still shining. Killian waited outside the church after spending some time alone in there. He didn't even want Emma around for a few hours.

He had just sat in the church, staring at Liam's coffin until he finally went outside.

A white car pulled up, immediately recognisable as Elsa's. He met her halfway and she threw her arms around him. Anna stood a bit behind, respectfully.

'Oh God, Killian,' Elsa muttered.

'I know.' He pulled back. Elsa's blonde hair was in a bun instead of the usual braid and she wore the snowflake necklace Liam got her one Christmas. 

'If there's anything me, or Anna, can do, just let us know, okay? We're family, Killian.' He nodded, unable to speak and Elsa pulled him in for another tight hug.

Soon after, the Swans showed up in Emma's yellow Bug. Emma came out, Henry on her hip and her parents and Neal came after her. David nodded at Killian, Mary Margaret patted his shoulder as she passed and Neal gave him a quick hug. He even thought he saw a tear in David's eye.

'Hey, Kill,' Emma greeted.

'Hey Swan.'

'Ready?' He looked back at the church and then to her.

'I guess.'

'Hey.' He took his hand, lacing her fingers with his. 'Together?'

'Aye, together.' He managed a weak smile.

Emma sat next to him the whole time, Henry on his grandmother's knee. Even Henry seemed to know something was wrong; he cried when he looked in the direction of Liam's coffin.

When Killian got up to give his eulogy, he had to pry his hand from Emma's.

'When I found out that my brother died, I felt like everything was gone. My best friend, my partner in crime, my entire family. But it wasn't just me. Liam touched the lives of so many people beyond me. Elsa, he loved you, I know he did. And Mary Margaret and David, you two were an inspiration to him. And Emma, I think he loved you as much as he loved me. And almost as much as I love you.' Emma burst into tears but nodded at him. 'He'd deny all that if he was here but come on.....' The whole church was laughing at that.

 

*****

Afterwards, Liam's friends met back at his house. Mary Margaret had made up some dishes the night before and brought them over.

'I appreciate this, Mary Margaret,' Killian muttered as he set them out on the table.

'It's nothing, Killian. Killian, I'm so sorry about Liam. He was far too young. And you know that he loved you more than anything, don't you?'

'Aye, I do.' She gave him a smile and went back to the kitchen. Killian looked around and headed for the door.

  
Later on, Emma was making small talk with one of Liam's old co-workers, but was only half paying attention as she looked around for Killian. She politely excused herself from the conversation and ran up to Elsa and Anna, Henry in Anna's arms.

'Hey, Elsa, have you seen Killian?'

'No, not for a few hours. You think he's okay?'

'I know he's not.' Emma sighed and looked around the room again. 'I think I know where he's gone. If my parents ask....'

'We'e got your back,' Anna finished.

'Thanks.' Emma kissed Henry's forehead and gave Elsa's hand a squeeze before leaving.

****

She found him on top of their climbing frame in the park, legs dangling over the side. He was so tall now that his legs nearly reached the ground. He had been running his hands through his hair a lot and was turning something over and over in his hands.

'Hey.' When he saw her, he immediately made room for her. 'Why are you out here?'

'Couldn't stand being in my place. All those sympathetic glances and "I'm sorry" and Liam not being there....'

'I know.'

'What brings you here?'

'Missed you.' He laughed at that. 'What's that?' He held it up; a silver flask with "Jones" engraved on it.

'What's in it?'

'Rum.' He offered it to her and she took a drink. They sat in silence, watching the sun pass through the sky. She traced patterns on his back, he hand his hand on her leg, their feet bumped against one another. Sometimes he'd start crying again, sometimes she would and the other would wipe the tears for them 'Thanks for being here with me.'

'Any time.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh you weren't under the impression that Liam was surviving to the ends were you?  
> This hurt me so much


	9. 21 and 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They never believed we'd really fall in love......

After Emma got hired on the Maine police force when she was 20, she had earned enough to rent her and Henry a small flat a block away from her parent's. They had insisted it wasn't necessary, but she knew she and Henry needed their own place. Two small bedrooms adjacent to one another, small kitchen, living room and bathroom. It wasn't much, it was haphazard and had second hand furniture, but it was close to schools, the park, their parents and Killian's and it was theirs.  
Emma was stretched out on the sofa one Friday night, Henry curled up beside her. She had just finished a load of paperwork, her police jacket lay draped over the kitchen table and they were watching Star Wars. Emma, who had seen it countless times, was texting Killian, ony half concentrating on it while Henry's eyes were glued to the screen.  
"Standing ovation" Killian texted about his latest gig. "I mean not to brag or anything but...."  
"Aw, I'm proud of you, you little ragamuffin" she sent back.  
"I am taller than you."  
"You'll always be my little ragamuffin."  
"What's the Swan up to then?"  
"Star Wars"  
"Niiiiiiice"  
"Henry's enjoying it" Followed by a picture of Henry watching.  
"Awks. Boy knows what's good for him. How was the paperwork."  
"THERE IS SO MUCH OF IT!!"  
"One sec." A few moments later, Killian was sending her cute pictures of puppies and kittens cuddling.  
"STOP!"  
"No." He continued sending more and more. Emma laughed so hard she nearly dropped the phone. When Henry turned around to see what she was laughing at, he saw her looking at her phone, her cheeks pink.  
'Mommy why are your cheeks pink?' he asked.  
'What?' Emma pressed a hand to her face, finding it warm. 'Uh, they're not Henry, it's nothing.' That was when Henry was added to the list of people who knew Emma and Killian felt something more.  
*****  
A month or so later, Emma came down the stairs in her parent's house, ready for Ruby's 22nd. She was a vision in a skin tight dress, hair curled and loose and black heels. Henry was staying with his grandparents.  
'I'll be just a few hours,' she promised.  
'Emma.' Mary Margaret took her by the shoulders. 'You deserve a night out. Please have fun, you deserve it.' Emma nodded and looked at Henry.  
'Hey, kid.' She knelt down to look at him. 'You know the rules?'  
'Be good for Grandma and Grandpa.' Emma nodded and kissed the top of his head.  
'Mom, Dad....'  
'Bed by nine, give him vegetables, I know, I know.' David practically pushed his daughter towards the door. 'Now please go have fun.' Emma hugged her parents and skipped out the door.  
Ruby's house was crowded with cousins and aunts and even half sisters she never knew. Emma squeezed past them to hug the birthday girl herself, who was looking stunning in a red miniskirt and black tank top.  
'Happy birthday, Red.'  
'Oh my gosh, look at you.' Ruby stepped back to admire Emma. 'You look stunning. How long has it even been since.....'  
'Too long,' Emma confessed. 'Far too long. Here Henry made you this.' Ruby opened up the piece of paper, on which was a drawing of Ruby with the words 'Happy Birthday' in Henry's neatest rainbow coloured crayon.  
'That is adorable!' Ruby squeaked. 'Tell squirt I said thank you.' Emma nodded and found herself being moved to the other end of the room. Killian caughter as she passed.  
'You all right, Swan?' he asked.  
'Considering I just got shoved through Ruby's kitchen with as much force as a freaking tractor or something, great. Nice save.'  
'Well I see a fair maiden in distress and I'm on the spot.' Emma scoffed and slapped his shoulder.  
'Uncalled for. Come on, drinks are going.'  
Emma and Killian ended up in Ruby's game room, away from the crowds of people, with Belle on a snack run, playing darts.  
'Okay, if I get this one then you are designated driver,' Emma said. With one motion, the dart landed right in the middle. Pleased with herself, she turned to Killian.  
'Fair enough, Swan. This is my last drink, promise.' Emma laughed and went to sit down when the song playing in the next room changed. "You're The One That I Want"-Grease. Killian flicked his hair in his best impression of Danny Zuko and held his hand out to her. She raised an eyebrow when he started lip syncing. Why not she thought and burst in to Sandy's part.  
He reached out a hand to her and spun her close to his chest. She laughed and wrapped her hands around him, still miming the words. They had done this in school when they were kids. Emma told herself that this was nothing, just a little recreation of old times, him being playful. Except for the fact that her heart was pounding and she couldn't stop herself smiling. The kind of smile she saw in movies and music videos and old TV shows and once or twice on her mother. She looked up at Killian and saw him with a kind of smile seen on Disney princes and her father had one once. The kind where you're too bust looking at the other person to notice anything else.  
Including your friends standing behind you with snacks. Emma noticed them and quickly stepped apart from Killian, whose face turned red.  
'Don't stop on our account,' Anna muttered, smirking at Belle. Emma laughed quickly and lifted a cupcake off of Belle's tray.  
'I was going to ....uh.... nevermind,' Belle muttered, setting the tray down. 'So, who's winning.'  
'Me, uh,me, I think.' Emma looked at Killian.  
'Oh, yeah, Emma is. She got a bullseye so, yeah.' Anna stepped up to the dartboard.  
'Let's see if I can beat that.'  
'Emma,' Elsa whispered from the door. 'Come on.'  
'What?' Emma mouthed. Elsa motioned her to come outside and she followed her, casting a concerned glance at her friends.  
'What is it?' she asked. Elsa shook her head at her. She was leaning against the wall, her blue eyes shining.  
'Emma, be honest with me,' she said. 'Do you like Killian?' The question landed on Emma's chest with a thud and she searched quickly for an answer.  
'Like him?' Her voice rose an octave. 'Yes. He's my best-'  
'Emma. You know what I mean.' Emma took a deep breath.  
'Maybe. I don't know-'  
'Yes you do.' This time, Elsa had to compose herself. 'Back in the day, Liam and I would watch you two. Inseperable. Joint at the hip. And the way you two would look at each other.' Elsa grabbed her hands. 'Please don't try to deny it, Emma.'  
'So what if I do like him?' It felt scary-terrifying-confessing that she liked him. 'Elsa, he's my best friend.' Elsa cocked her head.  
'There's something else, isn't there?' Emma nodded.  
'Neal. He broke my heart. I don't know if I can-' Elsa wiped the tears on her face.  
'You know Killian, though,' Elsa insisted. 'You know he's not Neal.'  
'What if it's different?' she asked. Losing Killian, as a friend or otherwise, practically destroyed her. Elsa sighed, her eyes getting wet. She took a seat on the staircase and patted the spot next to her. Emma sat down warily.  
'You know, there was a time, I almost didn't tell Liam that I liked him?' She shook her head. 'After our parents got divorced I was so scared. I didn't believe in happy ever afters.'  
'Why did you change your mind?'  
'Because I just looked at him and I knew, I knew that if I never told him and I saw him everyday and never told him, it would kill me. So I did. And look how well it turned out.' Elsa brushed a lock of Emma's hair away from her face. 'And I don't know how long you've been looking at him and not telling him, but I know it's been a while.' She was right, of course. She was so so right. Part of her wanted to run in there and ask him out there and then. But she remained firmly on the stairs.  
'Elsa. After you asked Liam out, did it turn out to be worth it? After everything?'  
'Of course. Of course it was worth it.'  
When Emma reappeared in the game room, Anna and Belle had disappeared. She suspected it was part of Elsa's plan. She cleared her throat and Killian turned around.  
'Hey, you and Elsa okay?' He stepped towards her and noticed her mascara running down her face.  
'I'm fine, we're fine. Where'd-'  
'Belle was getting drinks and Anna went with her. Emma you were-'  
'Killian, please. It's not that bad,' she insisted. 'I want to talk to you.'  
'What's wrong?' He played with the dart in his hand, a sure sign he was nervous.  
'Remember that time we kissed behind the tree? And you said that nothing could change us being best friends?'  
'Yeah.'  
'Well, I hope you're right....'  
'Emma you don't need to worry about me.' In an attempt to be casual, Killian readied himself to fire the dart.  
'Good because I'm here to ask you out.' The dart hit the wall a few metres away from the board. 'To dinner, or whatever.' Killian was frozen in shock, his mind racing, a thousand thoughts in there-"Did she really just say that? Did Emma Swan just ask me out? Say something idiot!"  
'Shouldn't I be the one asking you out?' he asked.  
'Should've known you'd be old fashioned, given your age.'  
'I may have experience, Swan, but I've retained my youthful glow.' She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the excitement building up in her. 'I happily accept on one condition, you let me plan the evening.'  
'I know how to plan a date!'  
'You know how to chase a thief I know how to plan an evening out!'  
'Okay just..... let me talk to Henry, okay?' she said. 'Before anything I-'  
'I get it, Emma,' he smiled. Emma bit her lip, her stomach fluttering.  
Elsa, in the hallway, smiled.  
*****  
The next day, Henry bound down the stairs in Minion pyjamas, hair sticking up everywhere. When Emma came home, he was curled up in his old bed, cuddling his toy monkey. Emma was leaning on the counter with a bowl of cereal, smiling at him.  
'Hey, kid, I need to talk to you.' Henry sat at the table, his eyes wide. Emma sat opposite him. 'How would you feel if..... you like Killian, right?'  
'Yeah,' Henry nodded. 'He's great.'  
'So what if, I went out with him?'  
'Where are you going? Can I go?'  
'Henry, this is grown up going out okay? Like....'  
'Like Grandma and Grandpa?'  
'Yeah, a bit like them. So.....'  
'Sure.' Henry then went right back to his cereal.  
'What?' Emma was sure she misheard him. 'Just like that?'  
'If he's your boyfriend, he's your boyfriend.' Emma wondered where he got that attitude from, because it certianly wasn't his father.  
*****  
Emma stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, her make up had been carefully done by Ruby and she wore a pink dress that had been taking up space in her closet and white heels.  
'It's just dinner,' she muttered. 'Dinner and.....' She wasn't sure. Killian refused all week to tell her what he was planning. 'You got this. You are strong and confident and you are capable of going out with your.....' Best friend? Boyfriend?  
'Mom, why are you talking to yourself?' Henry asked from the doorway.  
'Because I'm nervous.' She knelt down, careful not to wrinkle her dress. 'Because....'  
'You're going out with Killian?'  
'When did you get so smart?'  
'When was I born?' Emma laughed and kissed his forehead. 'Mom. You look beautiful.'  
'Thanks, kid.' She walked him into the kitchen, where Belle was. 'Thank you so much, Belle.'  
'My pleasure,' she said. She hadn't told her parents about Killian yet-she didn't think she could handle her dad.  
The door knocked.  
'Good luck,' Belle whispered, lifting Henry. Emma nodded and went to the door. Taking a deep breath, he opened it.  
Killian's usually unruly hair was parted neatly to the right. His usual t-shirt and frayed jeans were replaced by a dark shirt, waistcoat, black jeans and leather jacket. She stared at him, taking in every detail.  
'You look stunning, Swan,' he said.  
'You look.....'  
'I know.' He took his arm out from behind his back. He had a red rose in his hand.  
'You really went all out,' she laughed. 'Come on, my dad's not here to give you the overprotective dad speech.' She stepped outside and he closed the door behind him.  
Dinner had been elegant. He took her to a small restaurant on the corner of Main Street, with wooden tables with checked tablecloths and candlelight. It wasn't their usual burger and fries date, it was a full Italian deal, complete with wine. Then he took her out dancing. Well, it was a bit of improv. He was going to walk her to their favourite ice cream place for dessert and heard a street player plucking at the acoustic. He asked for one dance and they ended up spending a few hours twirling around the street. At some point, he had given her his jacket.  
They ascended the stairs to Emma's apartment, Killian awaiting a response.  
'Well.... not bad,' she admitted. 'You managed to make me forget that I have a thief in a holding cell.'  
'I was worried that the restaurant-'  
'Hey,' she cut him off, taking his hand. 'It was lovely.' They stood in silence for a few seconds. 'I'd invite you in but....'  
'I suppose we'll just have to wait until next time.'  
'I don't remember asking,' she teased.  
'Because it's my turn. Will you go out with me again?' Instead of answering, she moved in and kissed him. It was so different from their kiss behind the tree. She moved closer so that their legs were bumping each other. He wrapped his arms around her, fingers clutching at black leather. She ran her hand over his face, tracing his jawline. She pulled away before things could get too heated.  
'Okay,' she sighed, handing back his jacket. 'Goodnight, Killian.'  
'Goodnight, Swan.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh we're nearly finished!!!


	10. 22 and 24/24 and 26

Emma and Killian fell into a quiet life. It was easier than they thought; they knew each other like the backs of their hands. Some things didn't change, like the way they bounced off each other, the way Emma would sit on his counter when at his house and kept poking him in the back to annoy him, the way they could make each other laugh by just a look across the room.

  
Some things did change. They started holding hands when they walked down the street. She started pressed kisses to the back of his head as he was cooking. When he was playing guitar for her, she'd lean on his shoulder, nuzzling into his neck. He'd wrap his arms around her as they went on long walks throughout the town. Neither of them had realised how much they had been wanting to do that.

  
Once he found out, her father never left them alone. "I knew it!" he kept saying when he saw them together, curled up in a private moment. "I'm telling you all, I knew it. The moment they met in the playground!" Mary Margaret would simply roll her eyes before he kissed her cheek. Emma would often press her cheek against Killian's shoulder, rubbing circles on his leg.

 

  
Elsa was right; he was worth it.  
*****

  
_22 and 24_

  
Emma hit her head against the pillows of the hospital bed, wincing at the stabbing pain in her side. After being ill for a while and Killian dragging her to the doctor's she found out she had appendicits. She had been taken to the hospital soon after while Killian told her parents, her brother and Henry.

  
She was going to have her appendix taken out tomorrow. Apparently, they got there just in time. Her appendix was about to burst.

  
The door opened slightly and she turned to see her two boys coming in. Henry, now aged five with hair dishevled and some sort of food on his chin, ran up to her bed.

'How are you, Mommy?' His voice was so quiet one would think she was on her death bed.

'I'm fine, baby,' she promised. 'The doctors are going to get me all fixed up tomorrow. Then you can come and see me.' Henry smiled and she kissed his forehead. 'What happened to your hair?'

'I don't know,' he confessed.

'So you're staying over at Killian's tonight, okay?' she asked. He nodded, smiling. There were times when he had stayed at Killian's before and he loved it. 'That's my boy.' Henry gave her a quick hug before Killian came over, sitting on the guest chair next to her and lifting Henry onto his lap.

'How are you feeling, love?'

'Been better,' she shrugged. 'Thanks, by the way.'

'For what?'

'Dragging me down here. I should listen to you more often.'

'I'm just glad you're okay.' He paused, looking from Henry to Emma. Emma seemed to get what he was saying and she nodded. 'Henry, can you give us a moment?' When he opened his mouth to protest, Emma interrupted him.

'Just a little moment, kiddo. We need to have a grown up talk. Here, buy yourself come candy from the machiene.' Killian handed him some money and he independently walked off by himself. 'What is it, Kill?'

'Are you okay?' Emma squeezed his hand.

'A little scared, I guess. But I'll be fine.' He looked at her, so much emotion in his eyes. 'What is it?' Without a word, he reached under his shirt and lifted out a chain wth a silver ring on it. 'Woah, woah woah-'

'Calm down Swan, I'm not proposing,' he laughed. 'This ring, it's my good luck charm. It's kept me safe-'

'For God's sake Kill, I'm not dying,' she laughed.

'No, I know, just-'He placed it into her hand. 'Just hold onto it. At the very least, it's a reminder that there's a piercing eyed, smouldering musician here who loves you-' He almost kicked himself the moment he said it, but she used all the strength she had to pull him into a kiss.

'Thank you,' she murmured against his lips. 'And I love you too.' She had been sure of that fact for a while but saying it was another thing. It made it real. It made it terrifyingly, wonderfully real.

He smiled, kissing her forehead before leaving her. She slipped the ring around her neck, toying with it gently.

The ring became a subject of her fascination for a while. After she was discharged she still wore it around her neck (Killian told her it suited her) and found herself twirling it around her finger.

One night, when they were stretched out on the sofa, him reading while absent-mindedly stroking her back, moving his hand only to turn the page, and her flicking through some paperwork, it clicked in her mind. She remembered seeing the ring around someone else's neck, while he was handing her a bag full of little blue sleepsuits.

'Killian?'

'Mmm?'

'This ring. It was Liam's.' Killian sighed and turned to her.

'Aye, it was.'

'When did you get it?' 

'Well, before Liam left for the Navy, he gave it to me. He said he wanted me to have a piece of him. I just thought when you were in the hospital.... you could've used it.' With tears in both their eyes, Emma leaned over and kissed him, slowly and lovingly.

'Thanks,' she whispered. 'For telling me. For the ring. For everything.' 

'There's nothing I'd not do for you, Swan.' She kissed him again, one thing led to another and the paperwork and book were soon forgotten about.

*****

_24 and 26_

Emma was working late one night, so Henry was having dinner at Killian's. He had collected him from school and was in the process of both making dinner and helping him with his homework when Emma called from work.

  
'This is the first and last free five minutes I'm getting tonight, so I'm going to have to make this quick. What's he eating?'

  
'I've got fish sticks and fries on now.'

  
'Homework?'

  
'Almost done.'

 

'Thank you.'

 

'No need to thank me, love. But you will make this up to me?' He could practically hear her roll her eyes.

'I love you.'

'Aye, I love you too.'

After homework, Henry was sitting at the table eating. Summoning up the courage, Killian brought a newspaper he had been looking at for months over to the table.

'Henry, I wanted to show you something.' He placed it in front of him, showing him housing adverts. 'I wanted to buy your mother a house. A place of our own.'

'Can I live there too?' he asked.

'Of course. We'd never leave you alone.'

'Will I have my own room?'

'Yes you will, lad,' Killian chuckled. Henry took the paper off him and began looking through houses for one that suited his desires. He pointed at one in the top right corner. 

'There. That one.' It was a two story job, three bedroom, two bathroom, white picket fence, large back yard, one turret at the front. He assumed that would be Henry's room if he had his way. 

'You certain, lad?' Henry nodded and Killian circled it with a red pen. 

'When can we show Mommy?' he asked.

'Soon, lad, I promise.

A few weeks later, Killian and Henry led Emma down the street while she was blindfolded. 

'Where are we going?' she laughed, tripping.

'Not telling, not telling,' Henry teased as Killian pushed her around a corner. 

'Just a little farther...... and stop.' He took the blindfold off her and she stared at the house. 

'Swan, I was thinking, maybe it's time we get a place of our own?' he asked. 'I mean, there are other places we can look at, but Henry and I thought that this place.....'

'You two went house-hunting?' she gasped, her eyes shining.

'Aye, we did. Swan.' He stepped closer to her , having a private moment with her. 'I don't want to pressure you into doing anything. But, this house? This house is a promise. A sort of...... plan for the future. If you'll have it.' 

Emma nodded, grinning. 

'Kill, it's perfect!' She threw her arms around him and kissed him.

'I've looked at different payment schemes and a few more months should see it-' He was cut off again by Emma kissing him.

A few months later, they moved in, spending they day unpacking books and assembling furniture. Emma was wearing one of his shirts and her hair in a ponytail. They stuck on a Michael Bublee album as they worked. When it was over, they sat down on their couch, high fiving each other.

Their future was ready.


	11. 26 and 28

_A few years had gone and come around_  
_We were sitting at our favourite spot in town_  
_When you looked at me_  
_Got down on one knee....._

  
It was late July and the sun lazily began sinking lower in the sky. The leaves were lit up, the sky a clear blue, a few clouds drifting overhead, the streets bathed in a golden glow.  
Emma and Killian walked down the path to their playground, Henry dancing in front of them. He babbled constantly about some new cartoon he had started and jumping over rocks and running across the grass. He ran into the playground and jumped onto the roundabout.

  
It hadn't changed much since they were kids. The slide was still there, given a fresh coat and paint, the climbing frame, with new parts added, the swingset, the only thing that was well and truly the same as it had been. They sat on swings next to each other, watching Henry playing.

  
'Hey.' Emma's hand curled around Killian's. 'Want to know something?'

  
'What is it, love?' Killian squeezed her hand. Emma moved closer to him, resting her cheek on his shoulder.

  
'This is probably my favourite place in the whole entire world,' she murmured. 'Want to know why?'

  
'I'd be honoured.'

  
'Because nineteen years ago, a little girl met a little boy right here.' She patted her swing. 'In this very playground.'

  
'And what happened next?' Killian teased.

  
'The little girl and little boy became the best of friends. They were joint at the hip. Partners in crime, no one could pull them away form each other. But then one day, the little girl and little boy weren't so little any more. And, after some much needed pushing from a friend, they realised that they were in love. And.....'

  
'Then the girl asked the boy out,' he continued. 'And he agreed.'

  
'And then they moved into a beautiful house.'

  
'With the girl's lovely son.'

  
'And lived happily ever after.' Emma gave him a light kiss, humming with contentment. 'Killian-I can't imagine my life without you. Meeting you was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.' Killian blushed, looking at the ground, but Emma tilted his chin up. 'I mean it, Kill. You mean more to me than I'm ever going to be able to say. You got me through so much. You've never let me down.'

'I know, love. I feel the same about you. I would never have survived losing my hand or Liam's death were it not for you.'

  
'Killian I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You and me and Henry and whoever else, but us against the world.'

  
'Swan, I'd love nothing more.' He looked confused as to why she was saying this, so she took a deep breath. Now or never. She got off the swing and knelt on one knee.  
'Killian.' She took out a ring box. 'Will you marry me?' Killian gasped, unable to speak. When Emma looked up, she saw tears shining in his eyes.

  
'Oh God, Emma. Yes. Yes!' He lept off the swing and pulled her into a kiss-one that could go down in history. He swept her off her feet as she wrapped her arms around him.  
'Mommy?' Henry asked. 'Did he say yes?'

  
'Yeah. He did,' Emma laughed. 'We're getting married, kid.' Killian kissed Emma's golden hair as Henry applauded, tossing sand as confetti.

  
_Take me back to the time when we walked down the aisle_  
_Our whole town came and my momma cried_  
_You said "I do", and I did too_

  
That December, Emma and Killian married in a white wedding only seen in dreams and fairytales. She was a vision in an off the shoulder white dress with a full skirt, hugging her hips, her hair in a loose bun and make-up-once again expertly done by Ruby (saving money on a make up artist)-with silver eyeshadow and pale pink lipstick. She still had Liam's ring around her neck. Killian's hair was neatly parted to one side and he was dashing in a black suit and silver tie. He still had his earing gleaming in his left ear.  
Before she walked down the aisle, she was in her room, checking herself in the mirror for the tenth time. Her mother walked in as she did, wearing a pink minidress and thick tights to protect her from the cold.

  
'Oh, gosh, Emma.'

  
'What is it' Emma turned around, concerned. Mary Margaret looked at her from head to toe.

  
'You look stunning.' It wasn't just the clothes or make up, Emma was glowing hersef. She gave off her own sort of light. She laughed, her face lighting up even more.

  
'Really?'

 

'Really.' Mary Margaret took her daughter's hand. 'How are you feeling?'

 

'Nervous,' Emma confessed. 'It's not everyday you marry your best friend.'

  
'Emma. If there's one thing I know about you and Killian, it's that you were meant to be together. Nothing could ever break you two up.'

  
'I know. I know.' Belle appeared in the doorway, Neal behind her in a miniature version of his father's suit.

  
'Emma, we're ready.' Emma felt her heart slamming against her ribs.

'Let's do this. Let's get married.'

  
Before they even knew it, Emma and Killian Swan-Jones were standing outside in the snow, getting pictures with their whole family and friends. Freezing, Emma snuggled closer to Killian.

  
They got a picture on their own too, in front of the stained glass window of the curch. One was completely posed, then Killian looked at Emma and kissed her cheek, causing her to giggle, and Anna snapped a photo of that. Then, Henry ran in, having discarded his jacket and hugged Killian's legs. Emma ruffled his hair and asked where his jacket had gone and Killian was too busy chuckling at Henry's tale of how he had handed his jacket to a stranger and ran off to tell him off about the cold. That was the picture that became their wedding picture.

  
At the reception, David stood up, nervous, but eyes shining when he looked at his daughter.

  
'My daughter, Emma, is one of the most important things in the world to me,' he began. 'My whole wish for her is that she's happy. And seeing through all these years how much Killian has made her smile, even when she was going through the hardest times of her life, there is nothing more I could ask for. Emma, I couldn't be happier that you've found love and happiness and that it's with Killian is something I knew would happen. I mean come on, I was saying it from the get-go.....' Some things, it appeared, never changed.

  
At the top table, there was one empty seat next to Killian. The placecard read "Liam Jones, brother and best mate of the groom." Emma found Killian looking at it and squeezed his hand.

'He'd be proud of you,' she whispered as David continued.

  
'He'd be proud of you too,' he replied. 'He loved you. And let's be real here, he'd be embarrassing me just as much as David's embarrassing you!' He nodded towards David, who started on the "When Emma was just a baby" portion of his speech. Mortified, the bride put her head on the table.

  
Their first dance could have come out of a Disney film. They couldn't see anything but each other the whole time. Mary Margaret had to wipe her eyes at the scene. Killian twirled her around expertly and she landed safely in his arms. Emma placed her head on his shoulder, tracing patterns on his back.

  
Her happy ending.

  
_Take me home where we met so many years before_  
_We'll rock our babies on that very front porch_

  
**28 and 30**

  
In September, Emma and Killian's first child, a little boy was born. He was a healthy 7lbs. Killian was by her side the whole time she was in labour, holding her hand. When the baby was placed in her arms, they were left breathless at the sight of their newest addition.

  
'He's gorgeous,' Killian whispered. Emma, nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek.

  
'Does he have a name yet?' the mid wife asked.

  
'There's only one that would work,' Emma said. She looked at Killian, who raised his eyebrows in confusion. 'Liam.'

  
Henry, of course, was beside himself when meeting his little half-brother. Once he was brought home, Henry couldn't be dragged away from his crib. He kept playing with him, watching him while he was sleeping, even feeding him.

  
'Seems he's taken a shine to him,' Emma murmured, leaning against Killian.

  
'I know. Who would have guessed?' Killian replied, watching their kids.

  
**31 and 33**

  
Henry and Liam's sister, Niamh Margaret Swan-Jones, was born in February. Valentine's Day to be precise. The parents doted on their little princess and her two big brothers were determined to protect her from anything and everything that came her way. By a week old, she had her whole family wrapped around her little finger.

  
**35 and 37**

  
Emma made her way down the beach Liam struggling to carry her bag for her. His dark hair, so like his father's, was hidden under a Spiderman cap and he had his mother's green eyes.

  
'Liam, let Mommy carry that,' she said, reaching to take it off him. He refused, even though he was practically dragging it.

  
'No, Mom, I can do it myself.' He powered on, Emma laughing behind him. Niamh and Henry were building a sandcastle. Even aged nineteen, Henry was a sucker for his baby sister. He did most of the building while she placed shells on the sides. Niamh's curly blonde hair was in pigtails and she had a gap in her two front teeth. Liam ran in to help and Emma sat beside Killian, who was filming them on his phone.

'Hey.' She curled up next to him, wrapping her arms around him. 'Do they know?'

'Nope. It's cuter this way.' They watched as Liam and Niamh covered their masterpiece with shells. Liam looked over at his parents, who hastily put the phone away.

  
'Hey, kids, you hungry?' Emma asked. She opened her bag and pulled out three candy bars, tossing them to each other them. Niamh sat in Emma's lap while Liam tried to climb on his father's back. Henry stretched out between his parents, reading.

  
'Okay, guys.' Killian took his phone out again. 'Swan-Jones family selfie!' It was cheesy and dorky, but they did it anyway, grinning into the camera.

  
_After all this time, you and I_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo I don't know if you notice but I changed the wording with Liam's birth because I realised how problematic "a love they had never experienced before" is. It was stupid of me to write and I did not at all think about how that says Emma loves Liam more than Henry, so I changed it. Emma loves all her kids equally.


	12. 87 and 89

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise there's an epilogue

_And I'll be 87, you'll be 89_   
_I'll still look at you like the stars that shine in the sky_

  
In the same house, bought so many years ago, Emma quietly shuffled through the living room. She passed framed photos on the mantlepiece; Liam on his wedding day, Henry with his two bestselling books, Niamh with her newborn twins and Emma beside her, Emma and Killian on their 50th wedding anniversary, cutting the cake with their granddaughter, Ruthie, on their lap. The photo of her, Killian and Neal with the snowman still sat in the middle of it all.

  
Killian sat on the sofa, halfway through a book. His eyes hadn't dulled over the years, even now they had the same warmth in them. Emma sat next to him, her hand carelessly stroking his knee.

 

'Hello, love,' he muttered. Emma hummed and smiled at him.

  
The late July sun streamed through the window, bathing their living room in a golden light. They were hip to hip, just as they always had been.

  
'Killian?'

  
'Yes?'

  
'I love you,' she said for no reason in particular.

  
'I love you too.'

  
_Oh my my my........_


End file.
